Out Loud Blog

Jason Townsell, a student working toward a bachelor’s of science in occupational health and safety at Columbia Southern University, was recently named the first Future Leader in EHS. He received a $5,000 scholarship and access to PureSafety’s safety and health software and information solutions. The judges selected Townsell based on his work and life experience, community outreach efforts, academic performance, his interest in teaching and mentoring EHS students and more.

In this blog entry, Townsell outlines his approach to establishing a safety-conscious worksite.

The Basics of a Safe Construction Worksite

by Jason Townsell

An active construction site can be compared to a minefield, with many unforeseen potential tragedies laced throughout the terrain. I’ve observed construction workers doing things that make me ask myself, “What are they thinking?” or “Are they thinking about safety at all?” Unfortunately, many are not thinking about safety on the job, but rather production and production only.

While production is a vital consideration, the project’s safety consciousness must be intertwined with production. This is the essence of managing risk – accepting that risk is a part of our work, as well as taking the necessary steps to manage the exposure.

By its nature, construction work is dangerous. Rather than navigating a minefield, however, contractors and construction managers would be better served by taking comprehensive, proactive steps to neutralize the battleground by diffusing the mines.

Here is my approach to establishing a safety-conscious worksite:

1. Creating and promulgating a comprehensive site-specific health and safety plan: A project’s safety plan is the cornerstone of all things related to environmental health and safety at the worksite. Far too many companies have what I call a “canned” safety program that is either purchased readymade or downloaded from the Internet. Such a program is not specific to the functions or activities of the purchaser.

Another common concern with canned programs is that the purchaser rarely has any concept of what is in the program, thus leaving an under prepared and overexposed work force. Having a program that has been created by an individual or group of individuals intimately familiar with your company and projects will allow for a personalized program that is specific to your purpose and function. This also allows for an easier transfer of information from those who have created the program to those who will live out the program – your work force.

2. Conducting exhaustive worksite safety assessments: These intensive assessments act as the risk manager’s minesweeper by detecting, removing or neutralizing worksite hazards. These assessments not only eliminate hazards but also allow the assessor to become familiar with the habits and trends of the workers at the site; this vital information will further alleviate common missteps and mistakes that your work force is likely to make. These assessments will identify weak areas in the safety programs so proactive corrective action can be taken.

3. Pre-planning for safety: Any good construction estimator has mastered the art of preparing for unexpected construction costs including, but not limited to, specification changes, material availability changes and unforeseen conditions. However, some fail to plan for safety at the job. Basic tasks such as performing job hazard/safety analyses and performing routine worksite safety inspections is a foreign concept to many. Pre-planning for safety can head off many potential problems before they manifest themselves into actual problems; this allows for engineering controls (reducing or eliminating workplace hazards by engineering them out of the process) and work practice controls (minimizing and/or eliminating hazards through proactive safety minded actions) to be introduced to the worksite.

4. Mandating jobsite safety orientation training for all employees: Many studies have placed worker behavior as a significant contributor to worksite health and safety exposures and incidents; the value of safety training in employee behavior modification cannot be overstated. Jobsite safety orientations are an underused asset that risk managers keep hidden in their toolbox. Mandating safety orientations eliminates the ignorance defense among employees and heightens the overall safety awareness of your work force. Safety orientations also allow for two-way exchanges of information; this verbal communication encourages question and answer sessions and assures safety expectations are clearly communicated.

While these recommendations are basic and should not replace a thorough safety program at your worksite, implementing them can be the first step to establishing a safer work environment.

To learn more about Townsell and the Future Leaders in EHS program, please see the December 2010 feature, Future Leader in EHS: Jason Townsell.

Tran Huynh, a student pursuing a Ph.D. in industrial hygiene at the University of Minnesota, was selected as a runner-up in the 2010 Future Leaders in EHS program. This scholarship program was created to support and encourage EHS students as they lead the way in keeping tomorrow’s workers safe. The judging panel recognized Huynh based on her research experience, her excellent grades and references and her dedication to protecting workers from health and safety risks. Below, she shares a special guest blog post about her most recent research in the field.

Tales from the Taconite Mines

by Tran Huynh

My decision to enter the industrial hygiene profession has taken me to many interesting places, from secured animal research facilities to one of the largest taconite mines in North America.

Since September, I have been working on a research project assessing workers’ exposure taconite dusts under the guidance of my advisor. This exposure assessment project is a component of a larger Taconite Worker Lung Health Study that was funded by the state of Minnesota. As part of the study, University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health research teams are investigating the causes of a unique type of lung cancer called mesothelioma among taconite workers in the Mesabi Iron Range in the northeastern part of Minnesota.

My research partner and I are responsible for collecting personal and area air samples at the mines. These samples provide us with information about workers’ current exposure to asbestos and non-asbestos fibers, respirable dust and quartz silica and allow us to evaluate the adequacy of existing dust control measures to protect workers.

The exposure data will later be combined with data from other research teams including historical exposure data dating back in the 1980s, environmental exposure, mortality data, cancer incidence data and respiratory lung survey of workers and their spouses. Analysis of such comprehensive sets of data will help answer many questions, including: Is there a link between exposure to taconite dust and cancer or other health effects? If so, at what levels in occupational setting and in the community?

If evidence of disease is found at a level lower than current legal limit, then the policy needs to be re-evaluated in order to better protect workers in the mining industry.

An Engineering Marvel

The first few weeks at the mines were, to put it simply, overwhelming. The mining pit stretches hundreds of acres. The haul truck is the size of a 2-story house. The mining process and all the equipment – including rock crushers, rod mills, the dust collection system, mobile equipment and more – are an engineering marvel.

When we arrive at the mining plant to collect our samples, an escort helps us maneuver through the plant. Our escort teaches us about the extraction process, the various types of equipment used, sources of dust and health and safety measures. One time, we even had the opportunity to see a blast (from a safe distance, of course) at the pit, where we observed the blasting engineers coordinate with other mining staff via radio to ensure no one was near designated perimeter.

It has been such a privilege to be part of this project. I can’t imagine where I’ll end up next.

For more information about the study, visit http://taconiteworkers.umn.edu.