December 2018 | ISHN Magazine

Among the articles in the December 2018 issue of ISHN Magazine, we have tips on conflict resolution, offer some predictions for the EHS world, and much more.

50 predictions for the EHS world in 2030

How programs will evolve. What won’t change.

Dave Johnson

December 4, 2018

Come next month, January 2019, we’ll be but 11 years from 2030. In 2030, Adam will have 14 years of experience and be in his prime, 38 years old. What will his EHS world, and the broader business world, look like?

actively caring for people, behavior-based safety

Actively caring for people’s safety

The crucial difference between “caring” & “acting”

Krista S. Geller, Ph.D.

December 4, 2018

What does it mean to actively care for people’s safety? Is this the mission of behavior-based safety (BBS)? Let’s understand the difference between “caring” and “acting.” No one wants to see an individual get injured on the job. This is caring. Yet, many workers admit they do not act on their caring by providing behavioral feedback.

FR clothing handles heat & flame in the cold

FR clothing handles heat & flame — even the cold

Fire and ice

Mark Saner

December 4, 2018

When you’re shivering in the snow, the dangers of heat and flame probably aren’t the first things that come to mind. But even in cold weather, thermal hazards such as arc flash and flash fire pose a serious concern. In fact, when winter brings dry air and strong winds, it can literally help fan the flames.

How to select glove liners & insulation

Layers of protection

Ryan Milford

December 4, 2018

Winter can be a real drag, especially if you don’t have adequate protection for your environment. Effective PPE is a must during this time of year, when outdoor weather conditions can limit your ability to work and use your hands uncovered. When looking for your next winter glove, here are a few things to keep in mind.

4 steps for building an AR/FR winter layering system

Start with the basics

Scott Francis

December 6, 2018

Creating a safe work environment is the sum total of many different parts. Elements such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety procedures must be viewed through the lens of environmental considerations to ensure workers are safe on a jobsite.

7 common recordkeeping mistakes — and how to fix them

Recordkeeping isn’t always simple

Lisa Neuberger

December 14, 2018

When you receive an employee injury report, your thoughts may range from, “How did it happen?” to “Well, there go my plans for the day.” After you make sure the employee is taken care of, you’ll need to investigate, determine what happened and how it could have been prevented, and figure out if the incident needs to be recorded on your OSHA 300 Log.

How to overcome ergonomic challenges of manual welding guns

Take a Load Off

Remus Hotca

December 4, 2018

Thanks to low operating costs, intrinsic mechanical properties, and the increased production of light vehicles, the global welding products market is set to surge, climbing from $11.82 billion in 2015 to $19.76 billion by 2025.

5 tips to diffuse conflicts & confrontations

Don’t throw in the towel

Jeremy Brown

December 7, 2018

Sometimes, things just don’t work out. It might not be anyone’s fault — or perhaps you feel strongly that it is entirely someone’s fault — but regardless, regularly working with outside contractors brings about the occasional conflict. But should a conflict arise, it doesn’t necessarily mean that a situation is beyond all repair.

Medical insights on hand injuries

Gloves mitigate the risks of crushes, pinching, blows & burns

M.B. Sutherland

December 4, 2018

We sat down with Dr. Joshua Alpert, an orthopedic surgeon at Midwest Bone & Joint Institute in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, to talk about the ins and outs of hand injuries. He helped us to understand why hand injuries can be particularly serious and what recovery from an injury looks like.

driver training benefits, reduce your liability

Reap driver training benefits

Keep people safe – and reduce your liability

Mark Murrell

December 4, 2018

The worst time to realize your fleet’s safety program doesn’t measure up is when you’re answering questions in court, or at a deposition. Yet, even the best companies can find themselves in that uncomfortable position. If they do, it’s a sure bet the fleet’s own safety training program is where plaintiffs’ attorneys will look.

Assessing floor safety

It’s tricky measuring traction to prevent slips, trips & falls

Peter Teska

December 4, 2018

Providing clean, safe walkways in public facilities is essential for preventing costly slip, trip and fall (ST&F) accidents. Falls on the same level were the second leading cause of all workplace injuries in 2013 at 16.4 percent of all workplace injuries and resulted in $10.1 billion in direct costs (Liberty Mutual, 2016).

When you can’t see, smell or hear hazards

Here’s how to improve your arc flash & electrical safety training

Jim Schuster

December 4, 2018

Working on electrical equipment exposes a worker to electric shock and arc flash hazards. Unlike many safety concerns, these hazards simply can’t be eliminated or avoided as working on or around energized equipment is often required for some tasks, such as using a meter to test for voltage or rack a breaker.

Tesla denies accusations of hiding injuries

In industry, the motivations are many to under-report

Dave Johnson

December 12, 2018

One month after ISHN published its October issue cover story on Tesla’s quest to have the safest factory in the world, Tesla’s safety and health practices were again in the news. On November 5, 2018, the Center for Investigative Reporting published an article, “Inside Tesla’s factory, a medical clinic designed to ignore injured workers.”

AEDs on the wall are not an AED program

Roles, maintenance & response times

Richard Lazar

December 10, 2018

Many organizations have invested in automated external defibrillators (AEDs), medical devices designed for use by lay people to give victims of one of the nation’s leading killers — sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) — a fighting chance at survival.

EHS pros need to look at their own programs

U.S. scores low in health measures

Dan Markiewicz, MS, CIH, CSP, CHMM

December 11, 2018

The World Economic Forum “Global Competitiveness Report 2018” ranked the U.S. as the most competitive country in the world with an overall score of 86. The U.S. ranked 1st in labor market, financial systems and business dynamism categories.

workers stifle reporting illnesses & stressors

Fear & insecurity stifle reporting illnesses & stressors

Millions of workers suffer in silence

Dave Johnson

December 4, 2018

Chronic pain we know about too well. The opioid onslaught has taught us that. The pressure to work through pain is real, particularly in industries with a macho ethos such as construction and oil and gas. But step back and look at a larger picture — chronic diseases — and the untold millions of adults who work through a chronic illness.

Closing Time

Workers help craft the best safety rules

Time to rebuild the “Rule Mill”

Timothy Ludwig Ph.D.

December 4, 2018

Rules are so easy to make that safety offices are often accused of being a “Rule Mill” because they continuously produce their rule-of-the month. Why do we create so many rules? One particular cog in our mill that causes us to create rules is incidents. When we suffer an incident, we want to throw every tool in the arsenal to keep it from happening again.