NSSGA Podcast

It's always a good time to focus on focusing, especially with June being National Safety Month, so today's episode is all about the serious consequences that can occur when we become distracted at work. And there are few, if any, people who are more qualified to discuss this than today's guest, Bill Doran, an Occupational Safety and Health lawyer with Ogletree Deakins. Bill shares one of his many safety stories which he has collected over his almost 30 years in the industry with listeners here today. Episode Highlights:

• Bill has unfortunately had to participate in a large number of accident investigations whose goal is to identify an unsafe condition/work practice that can be eliminated to ensure that a similar accident never happens again.
• Often, decisions are made when we are distracted by any number of factors that could be surrounding events, personal thoughts, stress, or just eagerness to get a job accomplished.
• One such situation that Bill remembers involves an individual and his crew who were involved in the task of refurbishing sections of the metal shell of an elevated kiln which required removing structure and material from both the outside and inside of the kiln shell.
• This individual was intent on completing the job, and, at one point after passing a sign warning of an open inspection door, he began removing the last debris and material from inside the kiln that needed to be cleared.
• While doing this, he focused on the plywood board that was covering the opening, picked it up, and then he inadvertently walked forward into the opening, suffering fatal injuries from the 20 foot fall.
• He wasn't taking shortcuts or risks he was an experienced professional who just lost his focus for a moment.
• This emphasis on getting the job done is the bedrock of the mining industry - it's the key to the industry success - but that same strength, overcoming all the challenges to complete the task can sometimes be a weakness in hindering your ability to see the more immediate hazards before you.
• You can't let your guard down - the job will get done, but it may be necessary to take a breath and an extra few minutes to consider the world around you.

Toolbox Talk Discussion Questions:

• In this story, an experienced miner suffers a fatal fall from a momentary distraction. He wasn't rushing or being negligent, he just missed a hazard right in front of him. What can we learn from this story?

• As good as we think we are at multitasking, the brain can miss important pieces of information when you're jumping between tasks. How can we remember to focus back on the task at hand?

• Would anyone like to share a story about a distraction or something that took away your focus from a task?

Quotes:

"These experiences have taught me that no matter who you are, at any given moment, you can be just a split second decision away from a serious injury."

"No one is immune to these distractions. It doesn't matter how experienced you are, people concentrating on getting the job done, or solving a problem can focus their attention in one way and miss the hazard directly in front of them."

"That's the point. It's not easy, and it wasn't obvious. His focus was on completing the job. Everything that he did after leaving the outside area around the opening... took his attention away from the hazard that was waiting for him."

"One of the real challenges is constant vigilance, always being aware, slowing down, taking a minute."

"Distraction is human, and it's something that we all struggle with, and something that we want to really emphasize and highlight so we can try and prevent distractions in the workplace in any way we can."

Links:

National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association website

Today, Libby is joined by Madalynn Habron, NSSGA's Digital Communications Manager. Madalynn is the tech guru behind the scenes of these safety shorts, and without her none of these episodes would happen. In this episode, she shares a story about safety that she learned from her husband and father-in-law regarding the importance of taking the time to work safely.

Episode Highlights:

• Madalynn's father-in-law has worked for a beer distributor for the last 20 some years who is now in his late 50s and experiencing some health consequences from his decades of work.
• He's had knee replacements, injuries to his hands and fingers, and now suffers from constant back pain
• Five years ago, her husband started working for the same beer distributor, and her father-in-law started to notice him doing those same sort of risky lifts that he had done when he was younger
• Her father-in-law then shared with her husband the adage 'do as I say, not as I do' and taught him some of the lessons he learned later in his career: to plan ahead so you never have to rush, that it's better to do things right the first time instead of having to go back because you miss something, and that it's easier to make a second trip than to struggle through just one trip
• These lessons have applications to everyone working in the aggregates industry, from haul truck operators to office workers - anyone

Toolbox Talk Discussion Questions:

• We expect a lot of our bodies. How can we implement this idea of taking care of the body

that we'll have for the rest of our lives?

• It's better to do it right the first time than to have to come back and do it over again. How

might this work on a day-to-day basis?

• Does anyone have an example of a time they chose to work slower or more safely?

Quotes:

"These two men have learned the lesson the hard way, and I'm grateful to be able to implement this in my own life."

"He was a legend in his heyday, throwing 260 pound kegs over both shoulders, and carrying them several blocks to a restaurant or bar."

"He can still do all the things that he wants to do, but he knows that he could be healthier today, if he'd worked a little smarter when he was younger."

"My father-in-law started to notice my husband, a young man himself, doing those same sort of risky lifts that he had done when he was younger."

"It's worth taking a few more minutes if it keeps everyone involved, safe and healthy."

"You're making sure that you take the time to do things safely and make sure you're thinking ahead to what life is going to be like living in your same body 30, 40 years from now."

Links:

National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association website

Safety Consultant, speaker, writer, and facilitator Ronn Lehmann joins Libby on the podcast today. A student of the human elements in work, Ronn has worked for over 40 years with organizations of all sizes in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia, helping organizations and individuals acquire the mindsets, skill sets and tool sets necessary to achieve success. He has accumulated a number of stories over his extensive career, and he shares a truly tragic one about safety, along with the lessons learned from it, with listeners here today.

Episode Highlights:

• Ronn learned about the story he shares here today when he was conducting a cultural audit of an organization, and it has always stuck with him over the years
• The story takes place during a renovation project for a large power plant where painters were using mobile scaffolding which they repeatedly set up, took down, and moved to a number of different locations
• After several incidents occurred during this process where painters could have been seriously injured, everyone was required to attend scaffold safety training
• A little over an hour after the training ended, one of the painters who had attended it died after his scaffold collapsed while he was working
• The lessons Ronn learned from this incident are that simply providing training isn't enough; it has to be designed and presented well; workers must be able to demonstrate what they learned and that they can work safely; and maybe most importantly, it has to be reinforced by the leaders
• According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, scaffold related accidents result in roughly 60 deaths and 4500 injuries every year
• When It comes to scaffold and fall protection, we're still learning

Toolbox Talk Discussion Questions:

• In this story, a fatal fall happens just an hour after a scaffolding safety training. How can we create and maintain a company culture where safety trainings aren't a box to check?
• What you learn in a safety training must be reinforced in the field. What are some examples of this we can see in our daily work?
• Does anyone have a story about safety culture they'd like to share?

Quotes:

"There were these repeated incidents where painters could have been seriously injured, almost falling off or slipping or any number of close calls. So eventually, they had a general stand down, and everyone had to attend scaffold safety training."

"He went to a training session, and about an hour later, he was dead."

"The investigation revealed that the painter wasn't following safety procedures. And, perhaps more importantly, his supervisor allowed that the rigging was supposed to be checked after each move, and it wasn't being checked, there was no fall protection harness."

"The questions that I had when I heard this story was: Was the training done? Well, what's the problem? The training? And if it was done, well, why didn't it prevent this fatality? Were supervisors part of the training? And did they go back and insist on following what they had just learned?"

"You can't be just using training as checking the attendance box and say, 'Yeah, they attended.'"

"No matter how good the training is, how much I want to follow it. If I go back into the workplace, and it's not reinforced or even mentioned by my leader, I'll tend to go away from it."

"Safety is personal. It is a decision we make every day from the person doing the work to the supervisors."

"Everyone needs to make sure that we maintain a great culture and an attitude towards safety."

Links:

National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association website

Today, Libby is joined by Dave Cress, a safety consultant who has worked in the safety field for decades. His experience includes being a safety officer for the US Army Corps of Engineers and an inspector for the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy for 28 years, after which he has provided safety training for over 15 years. In this episode, Dave discusses hosting safety training and how important it is to ask yourself when training, 'Am I being understood?'.

Episode Highlights:

• Once, when Dave was hosting a refresher training, he noticed some students talking amongst themselves throughout the presentation
• It turned out that English was their second language, and they were actually helping each other by translating the training information so they all could understand it
• This experience highlighted for Dave the fact that presenters must be flexible in their training styles to meet the needs of the audience, and when they hear people talking to one another during their presentation, it's important to check in and see what's going on
• One technique Dave uses is to print out materials in English and Spanish for students to read and review

• Dave's advice to presenters is to "Learn about your audience before you arrive, have handouts and presentations in multiple languages, use many graphics and have any necessary translators available. As a safety trainer, ask yourself, 'Am I being understood?'"

Toolbox Talk Discussion Questions:

• Clear communication is essential to ensure that the team understands all safety discussions. How are we doing as a company at being understood when it comes to safety procedures? How could we improve?
• People learn differently; for instance, some prefer written communications and others learn best by listening. How can our company convey safety messages that work for various learning styles?
• Does anyone have a story about a miscommunication that led to unsafe practices, or successful communication that improved safety?

Quotes:

"They weren't loud or distracting to others, but I worried they weren't paying attention. It was not until later that I realized that the students were helping each other translate my presentation, English was their second language."

"They were asking each other questions, double checking to see that they understood the training properly."

"This turned out to be an 'aha moment' for me. As a safety trainer, it's my responsibility to communicate important information, I have to be flexible in training styles and meet the needs of the audience."

"Maybe there's a translation issue. Maybe there's a clarity issue that you can help clarify. You now also need to make sure the translator, if you're using a translator, properly understands the material and can successfully explain it to the co-worker. "

"Making sure that that message really comes through is so essential because so much of what we do comes down to communication."

Links:

National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association website

Senior Environmental Director for the Central West region of CRH, Ericka Baxter, joins Libby for today's episode. Ericka takes this opportunity to talk about environmental safety and health, and share a story about an oil spill at one of CRH's locations that was handled extremely well.

Episode Highlights:

• There are a lot of safety concerns when it comes to environmental matters, especially when dealing with oil and fuel

• At one of CRH's sites, a contractor's truck blew a hydraulic hose
• Thanks to the fact that the contractor and the site supervisor both had well prepared spill kits available and knew where they were, the spill was contained
• It's extremely important to have a spill kit that is well prepared, and to know what and where your safety equipment is
• Spill kits must be checked regularly as some products within them have shelf lives, and when they are used they must be filled up again

Toolbox Talk Discussion Questions:

• Do you know off the top of your head where your safety equipment is? Do you know for sure that none of the materials are expired?
• How are we doing as a company at checking safety equipment? What ways could we improve?
• Does anyone have a story about equipment preparedness?

Quotes:

"One of my locations did a fantastic job of handling an oil spill."

"How many times have we walked by those yellow containers? We don't look at them, we don't even notice them. And that's one of the most important things that we can have to be prepared to handle a spill."

"It's so important to be prepared."

"Go check those spill kits. And when you use them, fill them back up."

"Be mindful about your equipment, whether that is your safety equipment for your follow up systems or if it's your spill kits, whether it's human safety and health, environmental safety and health."

Links:

National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association website

Libby is joined today by Chris May, Vice President of Safety and Environmental Operations at CRH in Atlanta, Georgia. Chris shares a powerful story with listeners today about taking action and doing the right thing, even when it's not easy – a story from which we can all learn a valuable lesson.

Episode Highlights

• Chris' story begins when she was fairly new to her job and noticed a 30 year veteran roller operator not wearing a seatbelt while working
• While she initially passed by without comment, she decided to listen to the voice in her head and go back to speak to him about the need to wear a seatbelt, eventually convincing him to do so
• Two months later she received a phone call telling her that this employee had been in a serious rollover, that his seat belt had saved his life, and that he wanted to thank her for what she did
• The impact of safety training, reminders, and innovations
• The importance of taking action even when it's not easy

Toolbox Talk Discussion Questions

• It's not always easy to ask someone to do stop what they're doing. What do you think is the hardest part about confronting someone about safety?
• How is our company culture around encouraging people to confront potential safety hazards?
• Does anyone have a story about "See Something, Say Something" they'd like to share?

Quotes:

"He's been doing this for 30 years, and he has to know all the risks involved. And who am I to question that? So the easiest thing for me to do was just keep walking. But then, as it probably happens to many of you, I had that little voice inside me that told me to turn around."

"The roller had traveled out in an embankment, completely flipping three times and eventually landing upside down."

"Please call that little lady and tell her that I said 'Thank you. That seatbelt saved my life.'"

"You never know when an accident can happen, and even doing the mundane tasks that you've done for 30 years, you always need to take your safety precautions seriously."

"The trainings that we conduct, the gentle reminders that we provide to our employees, the safety innovations that we put in place, all of these things are working to ensure that we provide a safe workplace for our employees."

"Things changed for me that day, I realized that, you know, I have an obligation to act - it's not just a choice. And so I realized I couldn't take the path of least resistance, that I had to do what was right."

"I think about what the consequences would have been if I hadn't taken action."

"I hope that this will inspire you to do something and to take action, even when it's not easy."

Links:

National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association website

Libby Pritchard, Director of Construction Materials Safety Policy at NSSGA, is back once more with another crucial and instructive story of workplace safety. This time around, she focuses on the need to exercise safety protocols according to the environment, particularly navigating the dangers that can arise while driving in winter weather. Drawing upon her own harrowing experience and the lessons learned, Libby's tale here today is a sobering one with a critical message and advice for absolutely everyone to heed.

Episode Highlights

• We need to be wary of winter weather because it can make the roads we travel dangerous
• Snow, sleet, hail, rain, and unseen black ice contribute to the danger
• Libby's story takes place during a 5-hour drive home with a co-worker one November night
• While there was no snow or rain that night, they hit a patch of black ice and ended up flipped over in a ditch
• This experience led them to ensure that all company vehicles were equipped with emergency kits
• It also led Libby to learn how to react to driving on black ice, and inspired her to become an active safety advocate
• Her safety recommendations in such situations include:

o Stay calm

o Keep the steering wheel straight

o Do not hit the brakes

o Do as little as possible and let the car pass over the ice

o Slow down by decelerating or shifting into a lower gear

o Head for an area of traction

o Avoid driving in inclement weather at all

Toolbox Talk Discussion Questions

• What can you do to take precautions when you're driving, whether for work or for personal travel?
• What is one small thing the company could do to raise awareness about car safety?
• Does anyone have a story about car safety they'd like to share?

Quotes:

"You always have to be aware of environmental hazards depending on where you live and work."

"Even in a climate controlled cab, you still need to be wary of winter weather because it can make the roads you travel dangerous."

"My coworker and I were both miraculously okay, but we were also stuck hanging upside down and unable to get our seatbelts undone because they were so tight after the crash."

"The general rule of thumb is to do as little as possible and let the car pass over the ice."

"For driving in any kind of inclement weather you want to remember to slow down or better yet, avoid driving in inclement weather at all and read up on the local weather reports before you hit the road."

Links:

National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association website

Rob Lanham, the Aggregates Program Manager at the Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance, previously joined the show to discuss his recent heart attack. Today he returns to share another safety story involving a young man who fell eight feet and hit his head on a concrete pier, all because he did not clear up his work area or use the safety harness provided to him. This individual sustained permanent brain damage and was never able to work again. Rob's story underscores the importance of using PPE each and every time, and paying attention to your surroundings. It was the inspiration behind this podcast series, and serves as an important reminder of how much one small mistake or slip can cost you.

Episode Highlights

• During Rob's previous position with an aggregate producer, a young individual slipped and fell eight feet, and hit his head on a concrete pier
• Rob witnessed the worker being brought into the hospital, and his injuries were significant and severe
• He spent a year in the hospital, underwent countless surgeries, and ultimately sustained permanent brain damage
• He was unable to work again
• The accident occurred because he did not clean up his work area or use safety harness provided
• He stumbled over some tools
• He returned to speak to the owner of the company and apologized for the undue strain he had placed on the company and his coworkers

• This story underscores the importance of using PPE each and every time, and paying attention to housekeeping and your surroundings

Toolbox Talk Discussion Questions

• What are tasks done on our site that involve working at heights and what are the proper policies and procedures we follow to stay safe?
• Housekeeping is an ongoing practice – how can we continue to improve our housekeeping practices?
• Does anyone have a story about housekeeping or work-at-heights they'd like to share?

Quotes:

"This individual - I saw him when they unloaded him from the helicopter and wheeled him into the hospital. It was awful. He had fallen and hit his head on a concrete pier."

"He ultimately spent about a year in the hospital, had many, many, many surgeries, and was permanently brain damaged and had physical limitations for the rest of his life."

"He could never work again."

"The accident occurred because he was working in an area where they had taken safety railing down to bring in a large part to put into the crusher.

"He did not clear up his work area, and he did not put on the safety harness that was hanging on the railing next to him."

"He stumbled over some tools on the catwalk and fell eight feet and hit his head."

"This gentleman that was injured, that sustained life-altering, permanent brain damage, all he wanted to do was apologize to the owner of the company for all the undue strain that he had placed on him, the people he worked with, and the organization."

"You never know how much one small mistake or a slip could cost you."

Links:

National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association website

Troy Austin is the Value Safety Manager at Luck Companies, as well as a Marine Corps Veteran. Today he tells the story of a friend who was accidentally killed by committing an unsafe act during their service together. Neglecting safety procedures in place, Troy's friend removed the barrel off of a .50 caliber machine gun without standing to the side of the barrel. Unfortunately, there was a round in the chamber, which went off, and he died as a result. This story highlights why it's so important to follow safety protocols, think about what you're going to do before you do it, and never take shortcuts. After all, you never know when that one time you take a shortcut, something could happen.

Episode Highlights

• Troy spent several years in the Marine Corps
• He was on a desert training exercise in California, when a friend of his was accidentally killed by committing an unsafe act
• He was taking the barrel off of a .50 caliber machine gun
• Neglected safety procedures and did not stand to the side of the barrel as he was unscrewing it
• There was a round in the chamber, which went off and he passed away as a result
• This incident showed Troy that his purpose was to train others about the importance of working safely, not committing unsafe acts, and not taking shortcuts
• Troy shares his passion around safety, and his hope that this story might help save a life

Toolbox Talk Discussion Questions

• What are some examples of tasks at work where shortcuts could be taken – and what are some possible consequences if a shortcut is taken and things go wrong?
• Are there any procedures that have not been practiced in a while where refresher training should be done to ensure everyone knows the proper and safe way to do a task?
• Does anyone have a story about shortcuts they'd like to share?

Quotes:

"A friend of mine that I served with - he ended up dying by committing an unsafe act."

"There were several safety procedures that we had in place to make sure something like this didn't happen."

"There was a round in the chamber. The round went off. He was standing in front of the barrel, and he ended up passing away."

"At the end of the day, just don't commit unsafe acts, and think about what you're going to do before you do it."

"You never know when that one time you take a shortcut, something could happen."

Links:

National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association website

Today Libby looks at overexertion and the idea of pushing through pain or injury. More than a quarter of injuries in the Aggregates Industry over the last five years have been because of overexertion, and most occur while lifting, pulling, or pushing an object. A major challenge related to overexertion is pushing through pain. Pain is the body's way of telling us to stop what we're doing, rest, and take care of ourselves, but this is not always our first instinct. Libby shares her story of being injured as a volleyball player in college, and how pushing through the pain cost her a professional career in the sport. She highlights the importance of listening to your body when it's communicating its needs, and concludes by offering important advice on how to avoid injuries at work and at home.

Episode Highlights

• Most overexertion injuries occur when lifting, pulling, or pushing an object
• They are also caused by repetitive motions, or unbending, crawling, twisting, or kneeling
• They can occur while doing any number of activities, from conducting machine maintenance to shoveling material or climbing ladders
• Another challenge related to overexertion is pushing through pain
• Pain is the body's way of telling us to stop, rest, and take care of ourselves
• Libby's story of being injured as a college volleyball player and repercussions of playing through her pain
• Best practices to avoid injury at work and at home, including listening to your body and encouraging a culture where physical limits are respected

Toolbox Talk Discussion Questions

• What can you do if you have a small injury and are worried about making it worse at work?
• How is our company culture around working through pain or pushing through injuries?
• What are the most common tasks we do on the job where overexertion may be an issue? What are the least common ones that could still cause issues?
• Does anyone have a story about an injury they'd like to share?

Quotes:

"More than a quarter of injuries in the Aggregates Industry over the last 5 years have been because of overexertion."

"Almost 10% of overexertion injuries from 2016 to 2020 were not due to moving objects, but occurred when minors were getting on or off equipment."

"The data also clearly shows that the back is the most commonly injured body part due to overexertion, followed by shoulders, knees, ankles, and wrists."

"It's important to listen to your body. Pain is our body telling us to stop doing what we're doing, rest, and take care of ourselves. But that's not always our first instinct."

"I decided to play through the pain, and in the morning I knew I made the wrong decision."

"Pushing through an injury cost me my professional career, and it was within my control to prevent."

"You never know what pushing through an injury could cost you."

Links:

National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association website