Distracted Driving: Its Toll and Options for Fleet Managers

by: Duane Craig - April 2nd, 2013   Filed under: Managing, Safety
Aegis Mobility's FleetSafer App screen

Aegis Mobility’s FleetSafer® app, recently expanded to serve Kyocera Direct Connect-enabled phones on the Sprint Network is designed to remind operators of company policy about distracted driving, and to monitor and measure driver compliance. (Courtesy Aegis Mobility)

Traveling right along with the ‘technology we love to travel with,’ are some sobering statistics of injuries and deaths. The Centers for Disease Control reports that more than a thousand people are injured each day in vehicle crashes attributed to distracted drivers. The deaths from distracted driving hit 3,331 in 2011, with the number injured coming in at 416,000.

While distracted driving includes visual and manual errors, such as taking your eyes off the road or hands off the steering wheel, there is now clear evidence that using devices such as cell phones while driving is increasing the injuries and deaths attributed to distracted driving. For fleets in particular this is a troublesome trend, especially in the light of the US Department of Transportation’s ban on texting and cell phone use for commercial drivers and the increasing number of states that are enacting similar laws. It’s one thing to set up policies that prohibit drivers of company vehicles from texting and talking on smart phones, but quite another to enforce those policies. Read More

Tags: , , ,

Job Hazard Analysis: Asking The Right Questions

by: See Byline - December 21st, 2012   Filed under: Managing, Safety, Uncategorized
Workers install a new roof

There are more than just a few things that could go wrong on this job, but, careful planning could mean the difference between a well-run project and a catastrophe. (Image credit: stranger / 123RF Stock Photo)

By Eric Blair

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, prides itself in keeping construction sites and other work environments as safe as possible. For this reason, OSHA recommends employers complete a job hazard analysis of their work environments.

A job hazard analysis is vitally important to workplace safety because it helps employers identify potential hazards and prevents injuries from occurring. Employers can hire a job hazard analysis professional to help identify potential problems, but they can also complete the analysis themselves.

To determine job hazards, you have to act as a detective. Ask the following questions pertaining to the job site, and answer them. Read More

When Construction Jobs Turn Into Disasters

by: See Byline - November 28th, 2012   Filed under: Industry, Safety
Home lifted from its foundation by a tornado

Damage from natural disasters as in this home being stripped from its foundation by a tornado in Michigan is an inherent risk of living on earth. But when structures collapse because of poor construction practices, or substandard materials, the damage is far less acceptable. (Image credit: gabes1976 / 123RF Stock Photo)

By Jenny Beswick and Telegraph

Human ingenuity has been responsible for countless astounding feats of construction. We have built everything from the pyramids at Giza to the Sistine Chapel, to the Petronas Towers. But for all the awe-inspiring successes, there have also been many failures. Here is a look at what happens when construction jobs go horribly wrong and projects are managed badly. Read More

Trench Safety Violations Racking Up Citations

by: Duane Craig - October 31st, 2012   Filed under: General News, Safety
Man walks on pipe in trench

On October 24, 2006, an employee and coworkers were installing water pipe. The employee and a coworker were working in a 9 ft deep excavation, when the south side of the excavation caved in on the employee and buried him. The employee was killed. – OSHA Accident Report. (Image credit: shime / 123RF Stock Photo)

With the announcement by the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration that a Nashua, New Hampshire contractor was cited for having repeated and serious safety violations for trenching hazards, we have another in a series of examples where the safety of trenches on construction sites has been called into question.

In this case, OSHA officers were on their way to another worksite when they saw employees in what appeared to be an unprotected excavation. It turns out the trench was deeper than 5 feet, didn’t have cave in protection and didn’t have a means for the workers to quickly and safely exit. OSHA issued citations potentially costing the contractor $28,000 in fines. This contractor had similar violations going back to October 2008.

Just three days earlier, a Mississippi contractor, and a Texas contractor were also cited for trenching safety violations. In the Mississippi case, workers were Read More

Tags: , ,

Armored Work Gloves Pact Promises New Levels of Hand Protection

by: Duane Craig - October 10th, 2012   Filed under: General News, Safety
Work glove near mitre saw

The bar on safety just got raised with the introduction of work gloves with Kevlar. (Coourtesy Ansell)

Well, as we might have expected, DuPont teamed up with Ansell so the pair could create ultra-lightweight and highly cut-resistant gloves. The gloves, featuring DuPont™ Kevlar® yarns and Kevlar® in combination with reinforced stainless steel, are part of Ansell’s ActivArmr® portfolio. This could be good news for the hands of construction workers.

According to a recent U.S. Department of Labor study, injuries to fingers and hands rank Read More

Tags:

Brave New World of Monitoring Jobsites and People, Poses Challenges

by: Duane Craig - September 24th, 2012   Filed under: Process, Safety, Web Tech
Man installs video camera

According to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, 2011 saw the biggest data breaches ever, bringing the total records breached since 2005 to more than 500 million. Guarding data collected from monitoring may become more difficult with the range of mobile devices used to access it. (Image credit: mikumipompom / 123RF Stock Photo)

The relatively new area of machine to machine communication continues to make inroads on construction sites. What started out slowly as an effort to track equipment, especially heavy equipment, expanded to include materials and other equipment, and is now even being used to track people.

By attaching radio frequency identification tags, or RFID, to hardhats and employee badges, construction companies now can track the movements of employees across the job site. This is providing new visibility into job site efficiency and accountability and is also adding a level of security that until now has been difficult to achieve. ADR Software, LLC bills its system as one that will let you know who came on the job site, who is still on the site, and who was supposed to be on the site. This system uses RFID tags and portals to monitor the movement of workers as they enter and leave the job. The results are displayed in a real-time, web-based dashboard on any Internet enabled device or browser. This type of monitoring is the Read More

Tags:

Distracted and Fatigued: Vehicle Operators’ Twin Threats

by: Duane Craig - June 18th, 2012   Filed under: Safety
Worker Text and Drive © Caraman | Dreamstime.com | http://www.dreamstime.com/-image19822565

Distracted driving continues being a hot topic for governments, fleet managers and businesses in general that have exposure to the dangers it represents. But, driver fatigue is almost as large a concern. (Graphic Courtesy © Caraman | Dreamstime.com )

Distracted driving stemming from smart phone use is on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s mind as it continues its campaign to be sure commercial vehicle operators know just how seriously it takes the issue. Its “No Call, No Text, No Ticket” campaign includes a lot of NOs – No Reaching, No Holding, No Dialing, No Texting, Read More

Tags: ,

Untangling Those Fall Arrest Harness Lines

by: Duane Craig - May 15th, 2012   Filed under: Products, Safety
Fall Arrest Anchor System

The LinkedPro fall prevention track can be used to attach multiple lines to a single anchor point. This system makes it possible for several workers to safely pass each other on the same system or to create several routes from the same starting point. (Photo courtesy XSPlatforms BV)

One big challenge in fall protection is managing the connections from multiple fall arrest harnesses. Lines get tangled and then people disconnect from the anchor point to get them untangled. But, there is at least one product available today that claims to solve that problem.

The LinkedPro system is modular and can be used in various configurations. The biggest advantage pointed out by the manufacturer is that there is a steel cable for each user so each can move freely without interfering with another. They also don’t have to disconnect at dangerous or undesirable locations in order to pass each other. The system offers safe passage to and along multiple routes. Read More

Tags: , ,

Roofing Safety System Works By Monitoring People, Equipment and Materials

by: Duane Craig - May 3rd, 2012   Filed under: Safety 3 Comments

Researchers at the University of Calgary have developed a system that uses remote tracking to monitor people, equipment and materials so roofing is a safer job, according to a press release. The system uses tags and ultra wide band radio signals to keep track of where everything is, leading ultimately, the researchers say, to safer rooftop projects.

Once perfected, the system will provide alerts or warning signals when people, equipment or materials stray too close to the edge. Read More

Tags: , ,

Fleet Managers Bullish on Enforcing Cell Phone Use Restrictions

by: Duane Craig - March 5th, 2012   Filed under: General News, Safety
Man phones while driving a car © Mezzotintdreamstime | Dreamstime.com

Survey shows fleet managers are taking a close look at cell phone use from prevention to enforcement.© Mezzotintdreamstime | Dreamstime.com

Survey results from ZoomSafer, a provider of enterprise software to prevent distracted driving, shows the number of commercial fleet operators that have adopted written policies pertaining to employee use of cell phones while driving on-the-job has increased 31% in the past nine months – from 62% in May 2011 to 81% in February 2012.

Results were collected online from 570 corporate Read More

Tags: ,

Redesigned iPhone Weather App Does Better Job of Keeping Users Informed

by: Duane Craig - February 21st, 2012   Filed under: Products, Safety
WeatherBug 2.0 for iPhone provides a real-time, customized view into the weather in the neighborhood and around the world. (Graphic: Earth Networks - WeatherBug)

WeatherBug 2.0 for iPhone provides a real-time, customized view into the weather in the neighborhood and around the world. (Graphic: Earth Networks - WeatherBug)

Construction is at the mercy of the weather, and things like sudden cloud bursts lead to damaged materials. Surprise lighting storms and high winds imperil people who are caught off guard. The problem with weather forecasts is they are often aimed at large geographic areas and are therefore just a guide as to what you might expect. The closer the weather station to where you are working, the more accurate the forecast and weather reporting.

Now, there’s an iPhone app that promises to deliver localized weather conditions right to where you are. Earth Networks SM, the owner of WeatherBug® products and services and operator of the largest weather, lightning and climate observation networks, announces the release of WeatherBug 2.0 for iPhone. Completely redesigned to keep users better informed about current conditions, prepared with local forecasts, and alerted to potentially dangerous weather, WeatherBug 2.0 for iPhone provides a real-time, customized view into the weather. Both in the community and around the world, WeatherBug delivers faster weather alerting and superior forecasts. Cindy Cruzado, vice president of product management for Earth Networks’ WeatherBug brand summed up the app’s potential this way:

With the new WeatherBug app for iPhone, we’ve made it easier for consumers to keep informed and alerted to changing and dangerous weather that can strike with little or no warning.

WeatherBug 2.0 for iPhone provides weather data from the largest global weather network that includes the company’s exclusive neighborhood-level network of stations. Exciting new features in WeatherBug 2.0 for iPhone include:

  • My Current Location: Automatically updates your weather information based on the closest weather station to you in your neighborhood.
  • Severe Weather Warnings and Alerts: Receive dangerous weather alerts faster from both the National Weather Service and our exclusive WeatherBug Network.
  • Pin-Point Conditions: Drop a pin on the map anywhere in the U.S. and view current conditions from our weather station network.
  • Visual Forecasts: Easy-to-read, at-a-glance displays of essential weather information you need.
  • Live Cams: Scroll through and view live shots from cameras throughout the WeatherBug Network.
Tags: ,

On the 12th Day of Christmas…Think Safe & Practical

by: Duane Craig - December 17th, 2011   Filed under: For Fun, Safety 1 Comment
Construction Gear.com hard hat liner product page

Without hard hat liners, hard hats are really uncomfortable in cold weather. (Courtesy Construction Gear.com)

The last gift idea for construction workers in this series of 12 is actually a group of items. Staying warm on job sites and in cool or cold buildings is always a challenge, and it affects huge numbers of construction workers from laborers to skilled trades, craftsmen and superintendents and construction managers. Gloves are one warm idea and the other is a hard hat liner. Anyone who has never worn a hard hat in a cold place can never completely appreciate just how cold those things are. The cold air constantly wicks up over your skull because of the gap between the hat and your head. Without a liner your ears go numb first, and then your brain.

Next, there is eye protection. It used to be those who wore prescription glasses had to get prescription safety glasses. But now some safety glasses manufacturers have

Prescription Safety Glasses available at Construction Gear.com

There's no need to sacrifice safety just because you wear prescription eyeglasses. (Courtesy ConstructionGear.com)

combined a prescription glasses frame with a safety glasses body. You specify your prescription and they build the lenses into a small frame that attaches inside the safety glasses. You can even get bi and tri-focals. Sometimes, the wearer just needs some magnification for certain conditions and that’s where safety glasses with built in bifocal reading glasses fit the bill. Then too, safety glasses just by themselves can be a welcomed gift when they are something more stylish than the ones handed out by many companies. Heck, throw in some earplugs too.

Tags: , ,

Indoor Mold Becomes Focus of September Observance

by: Duane Craig - September 12th, 2011   Filed under: Safety 4 Comments
Animation of mold growing

This animation shows an example of the growing process of molds. (Courtesy EPA)

This is something that may have slipped beneath your radar but September is, you guessed it, mold awareness month. I was curious about who, or what, designated September for this rather musty title and I finally found one sourcethat named the “indoor air quality industry” as the originator. There are many references to Mold Awareness Month by indoor air and cleaning companies saying the observance was established by the Environmental

Protection Agency, but I couldn’t find any evidence of that being true.

Severe indoor mold problem.

This severe indoor mold problem on ceilings and walls illustrates how extreme mold problems can become. (Courtesy EPA)

Another source named the National Indoor Mold Society. This society was created by “mold victims to provide education, awareness, public policy, and research so that people recognize and understand the implications of being exposed to indoor molds and mycotoxins in their communities.” It seems from its website that it was active for a couple of years, but its writing there outlined the process it went through to get National Indoor Toxic Mold Awareness Month proclaimed by the states of Pennsylvania, Florida, Mississippi, Michigan and Georgia. Nevada opted out of the monthlong observance and designated just a week.

The Microbiology of the Built Environment Network is funded by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to Jonathan Eisen at the University of California, Davis, who is collaborating with Hal Levin at the Building Ecology Research Group in researching fungi issues in buildings. Since it appears that the earlier federal efforts to research indoor molds have been shelved, this may be one of the few research sources on the topic.

If you’re a builder you know about mold and its effects not just on people but on the value and integrity of the buildings themselves. But what many builders might not know is that:

Since the effect of mold on people can vary greatly, either because of the amount or type of mold, you can not rely on sampling and culturing to know your health risk. Also, good sampling for mold can be expensive, and standards for judging what is and what is not an acceptable quantity of mold have not been set. The best practice is to remove the mold and work to prevent future growth. – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That’s guidance for residential purposes and you can get much more background and best practices for mold in schools and commercial buildings at this page on the EPA’s site.

Tags:

Guarding Against Construction Deaths as Simply Collateral Damage

by: Duane Craig - August 30th, 2011   Filed under: Safety

Three people die in construction accidents everyday, and people of Hispanic origin account for two of those, according to this release from the Hispanic Contractors of Texas. Occupational Safety and Health Administration records show that falling, being struck by things, being pinned between things and electrocution account for the lion’s share of construction deaths.

Construction workers in a trench

Trenches pose significant risks to construction workers. (Courtesy OSHA)

So the Hispanic Contractors Association de Tejas (HCAT) is holding “The Construction Safety and Health Summit,” a regional event structured to train, educate and promote best safety practices and to increase understanding of issues facing Latino workers. The event will take place September 15–17, 2011 at the Mesquite Convention Center / Hampton Inn & Suites in Mesquite, Texas.

This is significant because it marks another event where the rising Hispanic culture is taking the lead in workplace issues. We would have hoped deaths on construction sites would be ancient history by now. But, humans are slow learners when it comes to safety, mostly because they have adopted an attitude of “It won’t happen to me,” as a fear-insulating mechanism to counteract the ridiculous amount of dangers they face on this planet everyday.

Some would argue there will always be deaths on construction sites but to argue that implies a sort of acceptance, or resignation that we can’t do any better. And, for some people it is simply a way to avoid responsibility. So, how many deaths everyday are acceptable? If the goal isn’t zero, then we become conditioned to not only expect people to die where they work, but also to accept it.

We all have a lot in common and one commonality is that we don’t want to die where we work. Hispanic or not, the world is a dangerous place, and construction sites just add to that danger. But unless we have zero tolerance for deaths on construction sites, as companies, and as individuals, then death while working will simply become a sort of sick collateral damage to our construction business pursuits.

Scottish Roofers Look to Cartoon Character to Carry the Safety Message

by: Duane Craig - March 22nd, 2011   Filed under: Safety 2 Comments

What better portion of the construction industry than the roofing segment to carry the message of construction safety. In Scotland, Weatherproofing Advisors Ltd., a roofing contractor, is spearheading what it hopes will become a safety campaign with a rather blunt-looking mascot – R.U. McSafe – seen here as his “high-visibility” self.

Construction safety cartoon character R. U. McSafe

Scotland's Weatherproofing Advisors Ltd. hope the R.U. McSafe cartoon character becomes a full-fledged safety mascot for the construction industry. (Twitter id: @RUMcSAFE YouTube: http://www.youtube.comWeatherproofingAdv )

According to the press release, the construction sector in the UK has the highest rate of fatal injuries of all industries – 2.2 deaths per 100,000 workers. Meanwhile in the U.S., the low numbers reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2009 came out with a caution that the numbers might actually go up once the states get their acts together and submit their final reports. The BLS will release its revised 2009 figures in April with the expectation the death rate will be higher than the previously reported 3.3 deaths per 100,000 workers. The rate was 3.7 in 2008 and the BLS says the April report is typically three percent higher than the early report.

When it comes specifically to falls, fatal falls declined 12 percent in 2009 (from 700 in 2008 to 617 in 2009).  Overall, fatal falls are down 27 percent from the series high of 847 fatal falls reported in 2007.  About half of all fatal falls occur in construction, so the decline in overall construction activity and employment since 2007 may account for the lower number of fatal falls over the past 2 years.

 

 

Tags: ,
  • RSS
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter