Proforma Safety Blog

Deepwater Horizon Is Boosting Focus on Safety, Says Proforma Safety

Posted by proforma on January 24, 2011  |  No Comments

01.24.2011 – Mike Arnold, Chief Executive Officer of Proforma Safety International, believes the pause in drilling and production operations – coupled with the U.S. Government’s further involvement in regulating oil and gas production in the United States — is reinforcing the focus on safety.

“Among the oil and gas operators and their contractors,” said Arnold, “we’re seeing safety being moved to the forefront of every operation, and more than ever, placed ahead of both scheduling and profit.

“The oil industry has progressed over the years to be one of the safest industries operating anywhere in the world,” he continued. “But because of the Deepwater Horizon incident last year being magnified by the news media and special interest groups in Washington, our industry is being portrayed as unsafe and in need of a complete overhaul.

“This is surely not the case,” he concluded. “It’s a stigma we can easily overcome by continuing to enforce existing HSE policies and procedures while improving how management incorporates safety into their plans, operations and daily activities.”

Recently Proforma Safety International was recognized by ConocoPhillips for helping reach a safety record for a South Texas project: 204,625 man-hours and 873,224 miles driven without a single recordable health, safety or environmental incident. Proforma Safety was also recognized by BP for “the outstanding contributions they have made to the safety culture of the Thunder Horse Project.”

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OSHA Sees I2P2 As Top Priority for 2011

Posted by proforma on January 6, 2011  |  No Comments

OSHA is describing its Injury and Illness Prevention Program (I2P2) as a top priority for 2011. A proposed rule to modernize the agency’s reporting system is expected in a September 2011 Notice for Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). The intent is for the I2P2 standard to have the “widest industry and employer coverage that the rulemaking process can tolerate,” according to this document outlining the recommendations by the American Industrial Hygiene Association I2P2 Task Force. The focus will be on proactive identification and control of workplace risks related to physical, biological and chemical and safety hazards.

The proposed I2P2 rule would cover
1) Management duties
2) Employee participation
3) Hazard identification and assessment
4) Hazard prevention and control
5) Education and training
6) Program evaluation and improvement

Separate but related, OSHA also intends to pursue an Infectious Diseases regulation that will require employers to not only protect workers from exposure to infectious diseases, but also develop control programs. Primarily focused on the healthcare industry, a request for information is anticipated to be published soon. Further information is available here.
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Halliburton Shares Best Practice Document on Perforating

Posted by proforma on January 6, 2011  |  No Comments

Halliburton experienced a perforation gun discharge on the rig floor and has shared a “best practices” document with the industry through the International Association of Drilling Companies (IADC). The company cited the report’s applicability to any situation in which a company is performing a perforating job using coiled tubing, a “standard” coiled tubing motor head assembly, and a “ball drop type” perforating firing system.

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Growing Number of Companies Implementing Cell Phone, Texting Policies

Posted by proforma on January 5, 2011  |  No Comments

We’ve posted several times about texting or cell phone use while driving.  OSHA has now determined that texting while driving is an OSHA violation, and sent a letter to employers stating that

“It is [the employer’s] responsibility and legal obligation to create and maintain a safe and healthful workplace, and that would include having a clear, unequivocal and enforced policy against the hazard of texting while driving.  Companies are in violation of [OSHA] if, by policy or practice, they require texting while driving, or create incentives that encourage or condone it, or they structure work so that texting is a practical necessity for workers to carry out their job.”

Not all states have adopted texting bans (see http://www.ghsa.org/ for the latest for the states in which you operate). International employers are already aware that many countries have banned talking on cell phones while driving.  In the U.S., many companies are also implementing policies regarding the use of electronic devices while driving.  NETS (Network of Employers for Traffic Safety), an employer-led partnership of government agencies, insurance companies, published a benchmarking study that showed the leading safety performers were those companies that enforced a total ban on mobile phone use. NETS also recently polled 24 leading companies about their cell phone policies. See here for a summary to gain an idea of the measures they’re taking to ensure compliance.
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Backing Up Safely with Rear View Cameras

Posted by proforma on January 5, 2011  |  No Comments

 Have you had a backup camera installed on your vehicles? Starting in 2012, proposed legislation would mandate car manufacturers to begin phasing in backup cameras with 100 percent compliance by 2014. Older vehicles will require aftermarket products, of which there are several.

Whether used on business or personal cars, SUVs or trucks, the benefits are obvious: fewer injuries, deaths and damage due to backup accidents which number 300 deaths, 18,000 injuries each year. Not to mention reducing your insurance rates.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has determined the camera should provide visibility extending five feet from either side and 20 feet back from the rear end of the car. The backup system should also meet minimum standards for night vision, preferably with the use of infrared LEDs.

Consumer Reports offers an assessment on car backup camera systems, but you’ll need to subscribe to view their review. Other sources of information are http://www.carbackupcameras.org/ ,  http://auto.howstuffworks.com/rearview-camera3.htm and http://www.bing.com/search?q=backup+bumper+cameras&form=MSMONY.
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Install Wall-Mounted TVs and Touch Screens Correctly; Minimize Interference with Safe Passage

Posted by proforma on January 5, 2011  |  No Comments

Offices, labs, warehouses and operations facilities are becoming increasingly cluttered with wall-mounted TVs, computer touch screens cabinets, or other equipment that pose a safety problem if they interfere with human motion, especially critical in situations where personnel must exit quickly.

Tags:ergonomics, Fire, Home Safety, Workplace Safety

Filed Under: Workplace Safety