People do not err intentionally. Error is a human action that unintentionally departs from expected behavior. Error is behavior without malice or forethought; it is not a result. Human error is provoked by a mismatch between human limitations and environmental conditions at the job site, including inappropriate management and leadership practices and organizational weaknesses that set up the conditions...

  Below are the set of questions that will be asked during a VPP Assessment at PSM covered facilities. In my opinion, these are the same questions that should be asked at ALL PSM facilities! These questions are being provided so that we can ask these questions, whether we want to be a VPP site or not, as another source of “audit questions” to assess the quality of our PSM/RMP efforts....

I learned about the 90 day rule the hard way… from an OSHA CSHO during a VPP Inspection.  I had personally signed off on a very large “temporary project” that installed some field monitors for an environmental permitting project.  The MOC made it very clear that these devices would be in place for one (1) full year.  I was not smart enough this early in my career to ask about a power...

Neat little video for those of us who need a reminder from time to time as to why we do what we do!  Sounds like a GEICO commercial, but it is still a nice video for the safety profession. Where would we be without Safety Professionals? from InjuryFree on Vimeo.

This happens when the breach of essential safety rules is not only widely known about but also tolerated and accepted by peers and management as normal and acceptable behavior given the circumstances. Various factors can contribute to the normalization of deviance: … HomeRead More »

MANY THANKS to my NEW & RENEWING “Partners in Safety”for their support! since 2007 Since 2010 since 2006 since 2007   2012 Fatality Tracker Electrical 14 (2011 = 81) (2010 = 90) (2009 = 100) Forklift/Manlift Mobile Equipment 10 (2011 = 84) (2010 = 110) (2009 = 88) Mining 23 (2011 = 248) (2010 = 480) (2009 = 586) Explosions 35 (2011 = 218) (2010...

PLEASE NOTE this is NOT a SAFTENG client, but the photo was submitted by a consultant. Signs your Safety Audit may be off to a bad start!  NOTE: issues were fixed immediately and audit turned out to be very successful in educating the facility.  This company has become one of our favorite (unlisted) clients!!! On the way to the conference room… … HomeRead More »

UPDATE on 5/10/12… Explosion damages New Smyrna Beach ice plant (fire officials blame ammonia leak in off-hours blast – a steel door landed about a 100 feet from the opening following a very early morning explosion at the ice plant – while the cause is still being investigated, New Smyrna Beach Fire Marshal said a preliminary review seems to point to a slow ammonia leak filling...