Focus on Safety, Health

and the (Green!) Environment

View this newsletter On-line

 

 

December 2008

.  .  .  ON LEADING vs. LAGGING INDICATORS

 

Organizations are generally moving toward measuring their performance using leading indicators rather than solely relying on lagging indicators to manage their businesses. This is especially important in environmental, health and safety where the margin for error can be very small. We now know that leading indicators can be used proactively to drive prevention.

 

Traditionally the focus has been on safety results such as lost time injury frequency and severity, findings from incident investigations, audit results, turnover, and absenteeism rates. These safety results form part of the picture, but it is a reactive approach because incidents have to happen before any action is taken. For example, injury rates measure the number of injuries that occurred over a period of time in the past. Audit scores and workplace inspection scores provide a snapshot of a point in time, but they don't look forward.

 

Leading indicators provide data to guide leaders in improving their environmental, health and safety systems and culture. Safe work actions and the conditions for performance are the key leading indicators for environmental, health and safety performance. Feedback from the people doing the job every day is widely accepted as being valuable information but up till now has not been easy to capture.

 

Will I still need to use lagging indicators?

 

Read More  >

 

.   .   ON GOING (and staying!!) GREEN

 

The Definition of Green
By Michael Richmond

 

I had occasion today to encounter a question that was very simple yet profound. It was "What is the standard for Green?" The EPA has recorded the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry, but these are not universal. If you ask a person interested in the biosphere type of Green, the phrase "Sustainable" is the major issue, questioning whether will an item's use will be depleted or can it be sustained naturally. Sustainability is a big issue in a world of consumerism, but does not encompass the definition of Green for other areas of Green concern

 

Those interested in the oceans are concerned about "Marine Life" and how man has impacted the animal life in the oceans. It looks at the discharges poured into rivers, lakes, and the oceans asking if we are harming the animals that feed us. If mercury goes into the water, will it return to us in the tuna we eat at lunch? So, the pollution of the water is a part of the Green definition.

 

"Green House Gases" seem to preoccupy those concerned about the atmosphere. In an industrial world, the manufacture of the things we wish to market creates a lot of waste that we need to dump somewhere. The EPA has long fought the dumping of chemicals from manufacturing plants and the amount of pollutant coming out of the smoke stacks of our factories

 

Read More  >

 

 .   .  .   ON HOLIDAY SAFETY

Homeowners Holiday Decorating Safety

By Bill Carey

 

OSHA probably will not be coming around this holiday season, but maybe they should. Hundreds of people are hurt every year installing holiday decorations cuts, broken bones, strains, electrocution, and falls from ladders, falls from roofs, tripping, slipping, and sliding. These things and more will do it every time putting a big damper on your family holiday. Here are six ways to make life easier and longer lasting.

 

1. Moving Heavy Boxes - Don't carry too much weight. Bend your knees when picking things up. Use a dolly or cart to move items around. Be extra careful when carrying up or down stairs. Get help for the big awkward boxes that you can't get your hands around.

 

2. Step Ladders & Extension Ladders - Use only on level surfaces make sure the legs are secure not sliding. Don't stand on top stop where the manufacturer recommends. Have a helper when carrying a large ladder. Extension ladders have a helper holding the feet so they don't move while you're going up and down. Watch out for electrical wiring an aluminum ladder against your electrical services wires can put you out forever.

 

Read More  >

 

    MONTHLY AUDIOCONFERENCE

 

Thursday - January 22, 2009

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

 

“ Leading Indicators in Predicting

Safety Performance, Really!”

 

 

We all struggle with lagging safety indicators and qualitative metrics that reflect “after the fact” realities. So what how we really foresee future safety risks and incidents?

 

Join Dr. Vince Marcasani for a discussion of a new methodology utilizing actual leading safety indicators to set measurement standards for real incident prediction and increased safety performance. Dr, Marcasani has worked for both national and international companies during his career including Rohm & Haas, Allied Chemical and ICI, and was a vice president of EH&S for Bassell.

 

There is no charge for this audioconference but pre-registration is required.

 

REGISTER HERE

 

 

 

 

 

STRESS SURVEY RESULTS

 

Thanks to all of you that participated in the Stress Survey. Click Here to see the results.

 

 

 

 

 

NEW MONTHLY SURVEY

 

It is generally accepted that the use of “Leading Indicators” as a predictor of future safety performance is difficult to design and implement, yet they are seen as more useful than “Trailing  Indicator” metrics.

 

Please take a minute to answer a few questions and tell us what method of safety forecasting is used at your company and it’s realized value as a predictor of future safety performance.

 

Thanks!! - click here to participate

 

 

 

 

TOPF TRAINING SERIES

 

Topf Initiatives is now offering on-site services for those of you that may want to improve your S, H & E culture and safety performance but do not have the time to implement a complete safety initiative.

 

These modules can be facilitated at your facility at your convenience and within your budget as time allows.

 

Call Bill Bailer to learn more about these stand alone modules and how they can be implemented at your company.

 

· Culture Assessment & Alignment Surveys

· Employee Awareness, Attitudinal and Behavioral Safety Training (4 hours)

· Topf “Leadership For Safety” Programs (1 - 2 1/2 days)

· Safety Meeting Facilitation — How to plan and run highly effective safety meetings (8 hours)

· S, H & E Strategic Planning Sessions  led by a Topf Initiatives Senior Facilitator (8 hours)

CALL 610-783-1776

For information

 
Text Box: Most places I go today, people are worried about the economy, their jobs, their investments, 401k’s, declining home values, and how they will handle the future for themselves and others in their lives. Just the other day, I saw two well known chain stores next to each other with huge signs saying “going out of business”. Stopping into one which was a furniture store, as I needed a desk and computer station for my home, the salesperson that waited on me was visibly under stress. She said that the store had been her job and life for the past 10 years and didn’t know what she would do. She appeared to be of an age where it might be difficult to find another job at that level. My heart went out to her and wished her the best, knowing though that my good wishes wouldn’t be able to pay her bills and maintain her life style. My thoughts reflected out to all the people that I know and don’t know that are being adversely by the current economic and social circumstances around the world. I have the opportunity to get to meet and know many people from the variety of companies we work with. They come from a multitude of races, religions and nationalities. The common thread for most today is that they are worried. Stress levels are higher than I’ve ever seen them. As noted in the article I wrote on stress in our last newsletter, stress was always a factor in incidents from the time I entered the field of safety in 1983. Today, it is more of a factor than ever before. It affects us mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. It is essential for our safety, health and well-being to learn to manage our stress levels so regardless of the circumstances of our lives, positive or negative, we can enjoy the fruits of our labor and our time with ourselves, families and friends. As we near this festive Holiday Season, perhaps we can reflect on the blessings of what we do have then what we don’t or may have lost. I try to think about what I am grateful for each day. The old saying of “Rather than think of the glass as half empty, think of the glass as half full”. It is essential we take care of ourselves. If we don’t we won’t be able to do our jobs and take care of those we are responsible for in our lives. To be safe means being free from injury or harm. We need to take this beyond what most think of traditional safety, i.e. free from cuts, burns, broken bones. Excess stress can get us hurt and make us sick, as well as, bring us harm in other ways. Learn and provide the skills to effectively deal with stress for yourselves, your employees and your families. No matter what the circumstances, if we have our health and each other, we do have a great deal to be grateful for. Have a happy and healthy holiday Season.

175 Strafford Ave.

Suite One

Wayne, PA  19087

610-783-1776