NSC-16-25 Hazard Recognition & Mitigation

Description:

Beginning in early 2014 and continuing into 2015 the facility was struggling with a marked increase in serious near misses and recordable injuries. Two recordable injuries in the first month of 2015 prompted immediate action. United In Safety, the site contractor safety council, was concerned that an undesired trend was beginning and needed to be reversed. Our Leadership Council met to discuss the concern. Upon review of the incidents it was discovered that, like most accidents, the injuries could have been prevented with proper hazard identification and mitigation. Hazard recognition requires daily practice. Teaching workers to evaluate every task or situation over the course of a project can have a tremendous impact on safety awareness and performance. Industry wide there are numerous hazard recognition programs / methods. The more hazard recognition methods employed, the greater the chances are to recognize all hazards that exist in workplaces. A hazard might not be identified by a certain method, but may be detected by another method. United in Safety initiated a Hazard Recognition and Mitigation Program which included training all site craftsman and craft foreman on Hazard Recognition and Pre-job Task Analysis, creating a hazard recognition photo library, adding a hazard identification quiz to our Workers observing Workers Program, conducting a craft cross-sectional feedback session, constructing a hazard ID course at our annual safety fair, designing and building a site hazard recognition training facility, crafting a hazard ID picture contest, creating a process unit hazard map and craftsman participation in safety audits has resulted in zero contractor recordables since program inception.