How to be Effective Safety Officer

“What are the characteristics of a good safety engineer/officer?”

I came across this question while I was visiting the Facebook page of the Safety Officer and Practitioners Group. Actually, I was also asked this question many times over during my safety lectures. Once I posed the same question to my participants to get their feel and their opinion on the subject. As expected, the question elicited different answers.   I don’t want to sound preachy or self-righteous either while I try to shortlist the 10 important qualities of a safety practitioner.

So what makes a safety officer tick?  Rather than focusing on skills, I emphasized on the intangible traits a safety practitioner should possess.  Ability to conduct inspections, audits, training, analytical and other technical skills can be acquired through training. However, learning the intangible traits is an entirely different matter.  But I can share some stuff based on personal experiences.

Here is my list of the 5 characteristics of a good Safety Officer / Practitioner:

1) Genuine concern for people.

This definitely tops my list.   Being a safety officer is a vocation.  It is more than a job, it is an advocacy.  One must be ready for self-sacrifice rather than being self-centered and self-serving.  The responsibility attached to this job is larger than our individual self. If a safety officer fails to conduct inspection, audit or training, the consequences could be damaging, or worse, fatal.  Whenever I get weary, I motivate myself with this thought — that our profession plays an important role in preventing accidents and saving lives.  If there is negligence on our part, we are accountable for our actions.  Remember the Deming Principle.  Most accidents traced their root causes to mismanagement.  As part of management, what a safety officer does or failed to do will always have an impact on people and systems. We are given a privilege and duty to make a difference on people’s lives with our safety lectures and leadership.  This is how real men are separated from the boys.  Safety officers without higher purpose take their jobs lightly and see it as another way to earn a living.  But real safety officers take their jobs seriously because they believe in a higher purpose.

2) Leadership by example. 

This maybe too cliché already but it still works.  To quote William Wallace in the award-winning film Braveheart, “Men don’t follow titles, they follow courage”.  The late Sec. Jesse Robredo said the same thing after he was bypassed three times by the Commission on Appointment as DILG secretary, “Never mind the (CA) confirmation, our people (in DILG) only look for actions”.   Safety officers must be able to walk the talk.  In our profession, credibility is very important.   The medium is the message and we are the medium.  What we do and say is always connected.   As a saying goes, you cannot give what you don’t have.  A classic example is when an insurance agent has been pestering me for years to acquire life insurance.  But when I finally asked him if he himself has an insurance policy, he sheepishly replied, “No, I don’t have one yet.”  Practice what you preach then people will comply and follow you. We must live, breathe and think of safety 24 hours a day.  This is easier said than done but that’s what we are.  We are a living testament to our safety programs.

3) Hungry for knowledge.

I am envious of my daughter’s craving for knowledge. She never gets tired of reading, exploring and learning new things. Whether or not it’s the arts, music and food science, she is a voracious reader.  Continuous learning is one of life’s lessons that we should not ignore. Learning does not stop when we graduate from school.  As safety practitioner, we must continually upgrade ourselves, intellectually and emotionally.  Gone are the days when safety officers are only knowledgeable in safety.  Today, the safety officer is also tasked to conduct quality and environmental audits.  Integrated management system is not merely a fad. It is now a reality in every industry. Thus the safety officer must be able to cope up fast by getting out of his “comfort zone”.  Don’t play it safe. Try to do things that you have not done before.  Successful people faced risks to achieve what they have gained in life. If we failed once, we should not be afraid to try again. Take Thomas Edison’s example.  Failure did not stop him to create inventions. “I have not failed.  I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work,” he said. Don’t rest on your past laurels.  A little knowledge could be dangerous.  Take up advanced courses on safety. Learn new things. Discover new places. Meet new friends, expand your network. Read new books.  Expound your horizon. The public who are attending our lectures deserve to know the latest trends and best practices in safety. Our God-given talents would be useless if we don’t apply and share them.  God gave us tools, now it’s our duty to use them.  Life is too short to put these talents to waste.

4) Result-oriented rather than task-oriented.

Nowadays, the safety officer no longer works alone.  Organizations are now getting rid of the “silo” mentality, hence quality, safety and environmental management systems have been integrated. With increased awareness, companies now understand the importance of having a safety officer. The safety officer is now part of something big, a grander scale to effect change in organizations.  He is part of a working team to get things done and ensure that results are happening.  Our job does not end with accomplishing our individual tasks. It ends when we achieve the desired results or the end-goal of the team.  When faced with challenges on the job, we must not get distracted.  We maintain our focus and remain result-oriented. “Be part of the solution, not the problem,” my boss always says.  Inspirational speaker Francis Kong came up with “The Loser’s Creed” in his book entitled “The early bird catches the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese”.  In his book, he said that losers retreat when the going gets tough.  A loser is someone who whines a lot, blames others except himself. He complains when things get rough, but avoids the extra work or doing the extra mile when adversity comes.

5)  Humility.

With newfound knowledge and authority, the safety officer must show humility.  The late DILG secretary is humility personified.  He did not crave for attention and recognition.  He’d rather does his task silently without the hype. We could learn a lesson or two from him about humility.  If we don’t get credit for what we have accomplished, don’t fret. It is God’s way of teaching us humility. That is why recognition and accolades should not be our motivation. Recognition or promotion should never go to our heads. Pride is like venom that inflicts the mind and heart with jealousy and restlessness. If we are boastful, we will never be contented. Boastful people are just pretenders to what they are really not. If we are sincere and have genuine concern for our fellow being, that is more than enough to motivate us in our work. Sometimes, it is a thankless job but we can find satisfaction and fulfillment with the number of lives we touched.

source: http://people360.com.ph/10-characteristics-of-a-good-safety-practitioner-part-1

How to Develop a Safety Program

How to Develop a Safety Program

1. Appoint a Safety Officer

Someone should be given the responsibility to oversee the safety program. This person should have an understanding of their responsibilities and accountability for maintaining a safe workplace.

A safety officer monitors workplace activities to ensure that workers comply with company policies and government safety regulations. Some of the duties of a safety officers includes policy development, safety inspections, safety training and compliance with OSHA standards.

These responsibilities should be included in the employee’s job description and incorporated into the performance management process.

2. Perform a Safety Inspection

According to the OSHA website, 4,585 workers were killed on the job in 2013. Of that number, 817 Hispanic or Latino workers were killed from work-related injuries – which is more than 15 deaths a week. A workplace safety inspection should be done on a regular basis to identify areas that need correcting.

This includes identifying fire emergency exits, things that could cause a slip or fall, inspecting exits for clear routes, ensuring ergonomics are used properly, adequate lighting, protective clothing (where applicable), proper use of chemicals and maintenance equipment safety issues.

This should also include a review of new facilities, materials, equipment and all related processes.

3. Perform Safety Incident Investigations

It is important to conduct a safety investigation as soon as an incident is reported – ideally within 24 hours. When investigating an incident, try to answer the who, what, where, when, how and why of the incident.

Going through these questions will allow you to drill down on the issue and make recommendations for a safety improvement plan.

An incident report should also be completed on every accident, injury or illness that happens in the work place. Safety improvements should be documented and maintained in the safety officer’s office. OSHA has some reporting requirements that can be found on the OSHA Website.

4. Form a Safety Committee

Establish a safety committee to oversee the entire process.  The safety committee should include front line employees, facility/maintenance representatives as well as other leaders in the organization.  Front-line employees can help identify and resolve health and safety problems because of their unique perspective.

Committee Responsibilities:

Identify workplace hazards

This should include inspections of all buildings and talking to workers about unsafe work practices and conditions that are potentially hazardous.  The safety committee is also responsible for writing policies and procedures for inspections.

Assess Safety Issues

This is done by reviewing accident records and looking for trends that might contribute to hazards.  There should be an accident investigation, and review of recent incident reports and accidents should be done before every inspection.

An annual review of the safety program should also be done.  This is simply a time to review the safety policies and conducting a walk-through of the organization.

Problem Resolution 

Management of safety involves following up on all issues and ensuring resolution has been done. This is in addition to correcting issues and general oversight of the safety management of the organization.

Safety Records

The safety committee should keep records of all incidents,  safety meetings and any recommendations that are made.

5. Perform Safety Training

All employees should be required to go through safety training. This will help them understand safety policies and procedures and their responsibility in helping maintain a safe work environment.  This training should include identifying unsafe work conditions, process of reporting of illness or injury and use of personal protective equipment.

Employees who work with hazardous materials should be trained on proper handling, storage and use of chemicals.  Training should also include new processes or procedures as they are introduced or new equipment that may pose a hazardous situation.

It is important that employees have a reporting process to alert management of potential hazards. Lastly, this training should be documented and incorporated in the new employee orientation process.

6. Safety Must Be Driven From The Top Down 

Safety must be driven from top management throughout the organization. Employees will only be as committed to workplace safety as senior leadership demonstrates. The more visible leadership is in supporting workplace safety, the more successful it will be.

According to the OSHA website, effective management of worker safety and health programs not only benefits workers but also helps the organization by:

Reducing the extent and severity of work related injuries and illnesses.

Improving employee morale and productivity.

Reducing workers’ compensation costs.

No one can argue that providing  a safe workplace for your employees is simply the right thing to do. But, maintaining a safe work place can also benefit your organization by improving employee morale and reducing workers compensation costs.

Source: http://thethrivingsmallbusiness.com/safety-in-the-workplace-how-to-develop-a-safety-program/

How to Make Safety Program

A structured, deliberate approach to safety is the best way to optimize effectiveness and ensure you reap the full reward of your program.

1. Commit to workplace safety. The first step in building a safety program is getting a commitment from the company’s executives to safety and wellness. This commitment should rank high on every executive’s priority list. One way of achieving this is to include the importance of workplace safety in the company’s mission statement. Management can also demonstrate this by investigating all workplace accidents and encouraging employees to follow all safety procedures.

2. Identify hazards and assess risks. A hazard is a situation or event with the potential to cause harm. The risk is the likelihood that someone could be harmed by that hazard together with an indication of how serious the harm could be. The law doesn’t require you to eliminate all risk, but you are required to protect people as far as is reasonably practical. Talking with employees is one way of identifying hazards. They may have noticed things that are not immediately obvious to you. Inspecting the workplace is another. A comprehensive workplace survey will help identify safety hazards.

You should distinguish between:

Workplace hazards, such as a workshop’s layout.

Activity hazards, such as using grinding machinery in your workshop.

Environmental hazards, such as the dust created when using grinding machinery.

3. Develop written programs and processes. Management should be accountable for clearly stipulating safety requirements for employees to follow. To create a safety culture that exhibits accountability, employee job descriptions must be clear and in writing, and must state specifically the issues and requirements regarding safety and health responsibilities. Having these requirements in writing is critical because it greatly reduces opportunities for ambivalence and misinterpretation.

Not all safety regulations require written plans, but there are several that do.  Below is a list of common regulations that require a written plan or program.

Hazard Communication Program.

Lockout / Tagout Program (energy control procedures).

Respiratory Protection Program.

Personal Protective Equipment (hazard assessment).

Bloodborne Pathogens Post-exposure Plan.

Emergency Actions Plans.

Permit-required Confined Spaces.

Electrical Safety.

Fire Prevention Plan.

Hearing Conservation Program.

Trenching and Excavation Safety.

4. Educate employees. Training is an indispensable part of every employer’s safety and health program for protecting employees from injuries and illnesses. Research shows that those who are new on the job have a higher rate of accidents and injuries than more experienced workers. If lack of knowledge of specific job hazards and of proper work practices is even partly to blame for this higher injury rate, then training will help provide a solution.

Many OSHA standards specifically require the employer to train employees in the safety and health aspects of their jobs. Other OSHA standards make it the employer’s responsibility to limit certain job assignments to employees who are “certified,” “competent” or “qualified”—meaning that they have had special previous training, in or out of the workplace.

OSHA has developed voluntary training guidelines to assist employers in providing the safety and health information and instruction needed for their employees to work at minimal risk to themselves, to fellow employees and to the public.

Good Rules of Thumb—provide training when you:

First hire employees (include both general and job specific).

Transfer employee between departments, or assign new responsibilities.

Change or implement new processes, substances and/or equipment.

Uncover special hazards (i.e., excavations, confined spaces, respiratory, etc.) or hazards that were previously not noticed.

Believe refresher training is needed or required by regulation.

5. Investigate/report all accidents and incidents. All incidents should be reported and investigated regardless of the severity of the outcome. The outcome is generally not controllable, but the incident itself is more often than not an event that is preventable. The purpose of an investigation is to:

Determine the causes of the incident. Take care to remind the injured employee(s) and witness(s) that you are not attempting to place blame; you are on a fact-finding mission.

Identify what can be done to reduce the chances of a similar accident happening again.

Take corrective action and monitor results.

6. Evaluate safety processes each year. Determine the strengths and weaknesses within your safety processes. Look for ways to improve them and ultimately reduce workplace accidents and injuries. Implement new and modify existing processes as needed.

source: http://www.worksafemt.com/safety/build-safety-program/how-to-build-your-safety-program/

Construction Occupational Safety and Health Training (COSH)

Construction Occupational Safety and Health (COSH) is the 40-hour mandatory course for designated safety officers, safety representatives of various contractors, sustaining technical employees (STEs) of construction firms and others whose work revolves around work safety and health in construction sites. It is also a requirement for accreditation as safety practitioners in the construction industry in the Philippines. It tackles key OSH concepts, principles and practices that are foundation knowledge requirements in the construction industry. Specifically, it facilitates learning on the importance of OSH  in the construction industry. There are also discussions on excavation and demolition safety;   safety of construction machinery  (as cranes and mobile equipment); safety of site premises; safety in the use of temporary structures, hand and power tools, fall protection while working at heights; environmental concerns and waste disposal on site. The use of interventions as tool box meetings,  job hazards analysis excavation and demolition safety are also included. Furthermore, there are also discussions on the  various laws and latest issuance's on OSH in the industry. As an integrating activity, participants are also given tips on the development and or enhancement of the Construction Safety and Health Program (CSHP).

Objectives:

By the end of the training, the participants would have been able to: discuss why OSH is important in the construction industry; and OSH in such areas as construction machineries, site premises, excavation and demolition safety; safety in the use of temporary structures, hand and power tools, and the use of interventions as tool box meetings, and  job hazards analysis

Topics:

Introductory Activities
Why OSH in Construction?
Principles of Safety – a Review
Construction Machinery Safety
Construction Site Premises
Excavation Safety
Temporary Structures
Fall Protection
Demolition Safety
Safety in the Use of Hand and Power Tools
Tool Box Meeting
Job  Hazards Analysis
OH Hazards in Construction Work
Case Studies
OSH Programming
Course Evaluation
Closing Activities
Who should attend: Safety officers/engineers; members of safety and health committees; supervisors; HR personnel; workers and union members/officers in the construction industry

Safety Training Courses

1. Basic Occupational Safety & Health (BOSH): Mandatory training by DOLE-BWC under Rule 1033 of Philippine Occupational Safety and Health Standards (as amended) and DO 16 series of 2001, which indicates that the “minimum qualifications, duties and number of required safety and health officers shall be as follows: 1) All safety officers must complete the Bureau-prescribed training course prior to their appointment as in their respective places of employment; 2) All full-time safety officers must meet the requirement of duly-accredited Safety Practitioners or Safety Consultants by the Bureau; and 3) Not less than the required number of supervisors or technical personnel shall take the required trainings and shall be appointed as a safety officer on a full-time or part-time basis, depending on the number of workers employed and the hazardous or non-hazardous nature of the workplace.” (40 hours)

2. Safety Orientation: Department Order No. 13 requires that all workers should undergo safety awareness seminar. Safety Orientation is necessary to acquaint workers on the basic principles of safety and basic safety rules being implemented at the construction site. (4 hours)

3. Safety Awareness for Engineers, Supervisors & Site Safety Officers: This training program aims to provide participants with the basic knowledge on safety while supervising construction works. This will include activities that are necessary in the implementation of safety at the construction site. (2 days)

4. Scaffolding Safety: Designed to provide participants with the knowledge and skills on the different types of scaffolds, its application and principles safe erection of scaffolds. This will include classroom and actual application. (2 days)

5. Lifting and Rigging Safety: Designed to upgrade the knowledge and skill level of riggers on the principles of safe rigging. This will include classroom and actual application. (2 days)

6. Gondola Safety Training: Designed for Gondola operators, this is a pre-requisite prior to allowing or authorizing them to work on or operate the gondola. Training includes lecture and actual use of gondola, specifically the (a) operation of controls, daily check and inspection of safety devices, and (b) safe use of body harness. (1 day)

How To Be An Accredited Safety Practitioner in the Phillipines

Under Rule 1030 of the Occupational Safety and Health Standards as amended by Department Order No. 16, Series of 2001, the Accreditation of Practitioners, Consultants and Organizations on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is issued to OSH Personnel and Training Organizations to assist the Department in instituting new and update existing programs to ensure safe and healthful working conditions in all places of employment (Art. 162, Book IV, Title I, of the Labor Code of the Philippines, as amended).

Client/s/ Applicants/s a. Qualifications of Practitioners who are qualified to practice OSH in the Philippines: 

1. Must have completed the prescribed 40 ­hours Basic Occupational Safety and Health Training Course from DOLE accredited or recognized organizations. 

2. Must have relevant experience in occupational safety and health. Three (3) years experience is required if applicant is duly licensed, four (4) years experience, if graduate of any 4 or 5 years college course without license, and ten (10) years experience if college undergraduate. Relevant experience shall mean actual work experience on OSH or a combination of actual work experience and attendance or participation in various trainings, seminars and other related learning processes.

Requirements:

For Accreditation as OSH Practitioner for New Application (Use/Attach Form DOLE­BWC­AF­CHK­PC)

1. Duly accomplished Application Form (DOLE­BWC­AF­CHK­PCN­A1 for OSH practitioner)

2. Two (2) recent 1”x1” ID pictures in red background for practitioner duly signed by the applicant at the back 

3. Original Certificate of Employment indicating date of appointment at present position using the official company letter head and photocopy of previous employment certificate, if any. 

4. Photocopies of Actual Duties and Responsibilities at present position using the official company letterhead signed by immediate supervisor and Personnel Manager or authorized official of the company 

5. Photocopies of certificates of completion of BWC prescribed training on OSH (40 hours) for practitioners and advanced training on OSH (80 hours) for consultants. 

6. Photocopies of certificates of completion/attendance in other OSH related trainings/seminars 

7. Photocopy of college diploma and Transcript of Records or Board Exam Certificate/PRC license if applicable 

8. Proof/s of accomplishment or participation in OSH (accident reports, safety inspection reports, safety audit reports, safety and health committee reports/programs prepared/implemented and 

9. Other supporting documents as proof of OSH practice. 

For Renewal of Accreditation of Occupational Safety and Health Practitioners 

1. Duly accomplished application form (DOLE­BWC­AF­CR­A2) 

2. Updated Resume with recent picture 

3. Two (2) recent 1” x 1” ID pictures in red background for Practitioners, duly signed by the applicant at the back 

4. Summary of Accomplishments on OSH duly certified by the supervisor and employer using official letterhead of the company 

5. Proof/s of accomplishments or participation in OSH (accident reports, safety inspection reports, safety audit reports, safety and health committee reports/programs prepared/implemented) 

6. Photocopy of certificate of accreditation 

7. Photocopy of certificate of attendance on additional OSH related training (at least 16 hours of OSH training per year or a total of 48 hours for 3 years, earned from DOLE recognized/accredited STO/institutions or any institutions authorized by law). 

8. Other supporting documents as proof of OSH practice. Where there is a change of employer/position, the following must also be submitted. 

a. Original certificate of employment indicating name, position and date of appointment at present position, using official letterhead of the company.

b. Original copy of the Duties and Responsibilities at present position, using official letterhead of the company, signed by immediate supervisor and Personnel Manager or authorized official of the company. Accreditation Fee For Certificate/ID, Renewal/ID and Replacement Fee of OSH Practitioner: Certificate and ID ­ P150.00 Renewal Certificate and ID ­ P150.00 Replacement Fee (upon presentation of proof of loss) ­ P150.00 Validity period of Accreditation Three (3) years, renewable every three (3) years Where to File DOLE Provincial Office may accept application but the Regional Director signs the Accreditation Certificate.