Implementing an Effective Personal Protective Equipment Program
Some of the newest OSHA regulations impacting the shipyard industry deal with Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE). When this set of standards was first published, many questioned the need for them - after all, how complicated are hardhats, safety glasses or steel-toe boots? At first glance, a PPE program does not seem very complex or difficult to implement; however, I have found this is a consistently deficient area in the safety audits I have performed. When I visit workplaces, I often find inappropriate PPE is being used or PPE is not being used at all. The identification of the appropriate PPE associated with a particular task or job classification is the first step in an effective PPE program.
Safety Belts in Fall Arrest System: Good Riddance
In recent years, one of the more controversial things OSHA has done in the Shipbuilding industry is prohibit the use of safety belts in Personal Fall Arrest Systems. Although it is fair to say most of the industry saw the wisdom in this, there were a large number of companies that felt the switch to fullbody harnesses was a needless expenditure that would not result in any significant improvement in safety. One shipyard reported to OSHA it was not in favor of immediately switching to safety harnesses because they owned approximately 4,000 safety belts and replacing them immediately would cost $570,000. While a half a million dollar investment might make a company think twice…
Safety Belts in Fall Arrest Systems - Good Riddance
In recent years, one of the more controversial things OSHA has done in the Shipbuilding industry is prohibit the use of safety belts in Personal Fall Arrest Systems. Although it is fair to say most of the industry saw the wisdom in this, there were a large number of companies that felt the switch to fullbody harnesses was a needless expenditure that would not result in any significant improvement in safety. One shipyard reported to OSHA it was not in favor of immediately switching to safety harnesses because they owned approximately 4,000 safety belts and replacing them immediately would cost $570,000. While a half a million dollar investment might make a company think twice…
Hydrogen Sulfide - the Silent Killer
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been called the "silent killer" because it has a way of sneaking up on its victims and killing them without warning. The key to protecting crewmen against the silent killer is to raise their awareness by educating them about the dangers of H2S and the precautions necessary to work with it safely. Hydrogen sulfide is a toxic gas most often encountered as a residual contaminant in cargoes such as crude oil, #6 oil, and molten sulfur. Hydrogen sulfide can also be encountered in holds containing decomposing plant and animal materials. Ballast tanks sometimes contain hydrogen sulfide because of the decomposition of plant and animal material contained in river water.
Hypothermia: A Potential Killer Anytime, Anywhere
It was March in South Louisiana and the last real cold front of the year whipped the water into an angry, foamy mass of three ft. high waves. A small workboat bounced against the pilings as two workers and their supervisor loaded their gear in preparation for servicing an oil well located in a nearby bay. Struggling to stay on his feet, one of the workers told the supervisor he didn't think it was a good idea to go out in such a small boat under such rough conditions. The supervisor smiled condescendingly and dismissed the advice. Silently, the workers braced themselves as the supervisor revved the outboard and the boat pulled away from the dock. After a long, tiring day of fighting wind and waves, the men completed their work and headed back toward the dock.
