CABL Forum - Re: safety

First, sorry to hear of the loss of another line dawg..
Your post hit one of my hot bottons. Safety is one of my favorite things. I have worked as a safety director on several large jobs. It is sad to see people show up for work that do not know some of the basics of safety, much less been trained by a responsible climber. Working at heights is not something that should be learned over a six pack. No offense guys but it really should not.
One contractor who did not want to have his people attend my project wide safety meetings got on the internet and bought a comprehensive OSHA compliant safety program. He put it in a fancy white binder, slapped his logo on the cover. The next day shortly after FED Exp had come and gone the contractor waltzed into my office , laid the binder and a give away t shirt and ball cap on my desk and said that they were now in compliance with our contractual guidelines. I thanked him for the goodies and that I would review the book and get back to him. The binder was filled with safety items designed primary for saw mill operation and logging. Not telecom work. His trucks were shinny and clean, his people were subs of subs and no one had ever given them the safety pep talks much less. the new hire safety orientation. Now his thinking was, no safety meeting for my boys, more production. All the extra money that he gained by pulling his staff from the safety meetings could be wiped out with one preventable accident. Most accidents are preventable.
You asked about a comprehensive safety plan, well OSHA does dictate that you should be instructed on certain topics, your understanding verified, and a record of this training kept. That is why you are asked to sign in at the safety meeting. When not on the required topics local management can schedule any topic they think is of interest. How interesting these meeting are and how well they go over are dependent on the skills and attitude of the speaker and the skills and attitude of those attending. When they match it is fun to watch.
Some firms take the requirement to talk about safety issues seriously, there is a section in the meeting for followup items and dialogue to management. Where management takes safety violations seriously things happen. Poor behavior is held up for all to review and those responsible are counseled, fined, suspended or terminated. While other firms stop at the talk, they talk, but have no follow up. Not even giving the employees some lip service by uttering the overused “ Are you crazy that costs more than you make in a ________ answer.
One of the folks has already mentioned that safety is a two way deal. The employer must provide the safe environment to work in thru the use of proper safety equipment and general training.. While the employee has the legal responsibility to use that training and equipment only in a safe and productive manner. This philosophy is expressed in what OSHA calls the general duty clause of its rules. Oh you can call OSHA and remain name less if you feel that the only way to get something corrected is to bring in the feds.
While you maybe lucky enough not to have seen an OSHA or State inspector on one of your job sites, I am sure that you might have seen an insurance company field engineer come through once or twice a year to check out your employers facilities and safety practices. Although they do not have the power to fine an employer there recommendations are listen to. The recommendations if not taken care of, usually means the rates go up.
On job safety is a little education and a lot of common sense. Unfortunately common sense is not past down from father to son. That is why the rule books have grown. People have had to legislate it into regulations or best practices.
Most MSO’s and major contractors have excellent programs on paper. Their work at translating their safety policies and regulations into everyday work habits and practices are to be commended. This effort is evident in the recent SCTE safety awards. Safety has been improving in our industry. However I noticed that several major MSO’s were not mentioned in the press release. One would hope that they chose not to enter rather than they could not cut it.

Thanks for letting me vent steam.

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Re: safety