• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
225-753-1909

225-753-1909

ResponsAble Logo Web Header
  • Safety Staffing
    • Safety Staffing Services
    • Industries We Serve
    • EHS Recruiting & Direct Hire Services
  • Careers
    • Available Safety Jobs
    • EHS Careers
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Employee Rights – COVID-19
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

From the Staffing Experts

ResponsAble Safety Staffing From the Staffing Experts blog archives.

Our Top Ten Resources for the Safety and Health Professional

December 30, 2022 By John Cambre

One of the best things about the safety and health profession is the availability of resources.

Resources are essential to the understanding and development of safety and health policies and procedures.

They also give us the opportunity to create and implement proven strategies that set the stage for constant improvements in the safety and health management system.

A list of resources is available from many sources. Here are some of the resources that have been used in a variety of industries.

Resource Number One:

Home | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (osha.gov)

This website is the primary resource for the wide variety of safety and health professionals. The website is one of the most organized and user-friendly of all government websites.

When the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was passed, one of the primary provisions of the act was the creation of employer consultation. The website holds up to its requirements to provide easy access to a number of topics regarding the implementation of required standards. The publications page is basically a library of tool box talks and lesson plans. The Quicktakes Newsletter is available at no charge. Just sign up and get the latest news from the administration every two weeks.

Also don’t miss the A to Z Index for a quick reference to hundreds of topics.

OSHA’s A-Z Index | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Resource Number Two:

National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health | NIOSH | CDC

National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) was established at the same time as OSHA in the OSH Act of 1970 in Section 22.

NIOSH is the research arm for the OSHA folks. This website is also fairly easy to use. It also has an A to Z Index for quick reference. The website includes topics on: Grants and Funding, Training Resources, Newsroom and Science Blog.

One of the most popular sources on this site is the NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards | NIOSH | CDC). This guide gives the user excellent information on a wide range of chemicals.

Another valuable area on the NIOSH site is the information found in the FACE Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program | NIOSH | CDC. This resource reviews work related accidents reports in detail. A great tool for teaching safety and health compliance.

Recently, NIOSH has produced a number of safety apps for our personal devices. Check out the app page, NIOSH Mobile Applications | NIOSH | CDC.

Resource Number Three:

State Operated OSHA Consultation Websites

On-Site Consultation | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (osha.gov)

These websites are the best kept secret for many small employers and safety professionals. Here are just a few:

Mississippi: Health and Safety Consultation | Center for Continuing Education (msstate.edu)

New Mexico: New Mexico OSHA Consultation (nm.gov)

North Carolina: Safety and Health Consultation Program | NC DOL How about free PowerPoints?

Oregon: Oregon Occupational Safety and Health: Consultation services: Consultation services: State of Oregon      (By the way, Oregon has its own YouTube Channel for safety)

Texas: OSHCON: Occupational Safety and Health Consultation Program (texas.gov) One of the favorites. This site has free compliance programs in word.

Resource Number Four:

Center for Construction Research and Training

CPWR | A global leader in construction safety & health research & training

Another gem! Great resource for toolbox talks, PowerPoints, and training materials. Try out the following resource on CPWR: CPWR | CPWR Websites.

The number one on this list is ELCOSH: eLCOSH: Electronic Library of Construction Occupational Safety and Health.

Here are just a few of the available topics:

eLCOSH: Stop Construction Falls

eLCOSH: The Dropped Object Experiment

Resource Number Five:

Bureau of Labor and Statistics

IIF Home: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov)  Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities Page

This website is for the data nerd. Filled with all types of data related to injuries, illnesses, and fatalities in the workplace.

For example:

Total nonfatal work injury and illness rates, private industry charts

Total nonfatal work injury and illness rates, private industry: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov)

Number of fatal work injuries by employee status

Number of fatal work injuries by employee status (bls.gov)

Resource Number Six:

Surprise! Grainger’s NowHow Page!

Grainger KnowHow Articles – Industry Insights & News To Help Grow Your Business

You can search by Safety and Health, Operation, Equipment, Industry, and People. On the Safety and Health link, you can search sixteen topics. Sign up for their email and pick your industry.

Resource Number Seven:

Don’t forget the online magazines and blogs that offer a ton of information regarding safety and health. Some might require a free subscription to access their information, but it is worth it.

Here are a few:

Occupational Health & Safety: keeping the workplace safe from hazards and in full compliance with laws and regulations — Occupational Health & Safety (ohsonline.com)

Safety: Safety+Health Magazine (safetyandhealthmagazine.com)

Fall Protection Resources – Simplified Safety

ISHN.com – the magazine for safety & health professionals who direct safety & health programs in high-hazard workplaces.

Safety | EHS Today

Resource Number Eight:

For the offshore industry, this is the one:

Home | Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (bsee.gov)

The Safety Alert information gives us details of accidents and potential accidents that took place. “BSEE Safety Alerts are tools used by BSEE to inform the offshore energy industry of the circumstances surrounding an incident or a near miss. They also contain recommendations that should help prevent the recurrence of such an incident on the OCS.”

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement | Promoting Safety, Protecting the Environment and Conserving Offshore Resources (bsee.gov)

Resource Number Nine:

All safety and health professionals should be aware of the American Society of Safety Professionals.

American Society of Safety Professionals Membership | ASSP

This website host a number of categories for the safety and health professional. Here are a few:

Resources. Here you find free learning resources, risk assessment and management information, and business and leadership skills just to name a few.

And the last one was a surprise this year!

Resource Number Ten:

Well, how can we end the year without a resource from Mike Roe, that’s right the Dirty Jobs guy and his new excavating and trenching safety app.

National Excavator Initiative – NEI (safeexcavator.com)

This app has a built in locator that will connect to any state to get an 811 Dig ticket. Please check it out.

And this is the best news. We have not spent a dime. Have a safe and healthful holiday and a safe and healthful 2023.

Filed Under: From the Staffing Experts, Safety Staffing Jobs

A Recipe for Safety Success

November 14, 2022 By John Cambre

What is your recipe for safety?

What is a functioning safety and health system? Let’s compare this system to a system used in the foodservice industry.

How does a foodservice operation assure a food menu item is served consistently and safely?

“When I meet with restaurant operators to help them with food cost control and profit help, my first question is if they have written recipes.” – Chef Lonnie Varisco: Business Development Manager for Performance Foodservice in the Greater New Orleans Area

A standardized recipe produces a specific quality and quantity of food for a specific restaurant. That recipe is unique to the restaurant and the creative ideas of the person who created the dish. 

Once that standardized recipe is created it will become one of the most powerful documents in a foodservice operation.

  • Recipes are used for training back of the house staff.
  • Recipes provide consistency in the production of menu items.
  • Recipes provide food cost control.
  • Recipes provide knowledge for front of the house staff as a sales tool and to help consumers with dietary concerns and allergies.
  • Recipes should be handed out to each back of the house line cook in a booklet specific to their station.

The measured ingredients in a recipe not only produce consistent food but control your food cost and profit. Recipes reduce waste because a cook is prepping exactly what is needed to produce the menu items.

Recipes provide portion control which is a major factor in food cost control and profit.

Studies show that incorporating food safety instructions in recipe directions improves food safety behaviors.

For readers whose hobby is cooking, the last situation you want is to make someone ill or sick from eating food that was not prepared safely.

According to Pennstate Extension website, a division of the College of Agricultural Sciences at Pennsylvania State University, here are the Key Food Safety Instructions For Recipes:

Here are the instructions:

  1. Start with clean countertops and equipment.
  2. Wash hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds. Dry with a single-use paper towel.
  3. If fresh fruits, vegetables, or herbs are included as ingredients, place an asterisk (*) after each item in the ingredient list and use one or all the following as applicable:
  4. Gently rub fresh fruits and vegetables under cold, running water. 
  5. Scrub firm produce with a clean vegetable brush. 
  6. Prepare as directed.
  7. Prewashed, packaged items do not require further washing.
  8. Gently rinse fresh herbs under cold, running water.

For the part time chefs in the kitchen, checkout the website link:

https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-internal-temperatures

So, why not apply the same concept to your safety and health program?

Applying Recipes to Safety

As with any successful recipe it must have steps that are in a certain order.

Here is simple recipe for your safety representative/competent person in charge of your safety and health program: 

  1. Recognize and identify the hazard and/or hazardous condition.
  1. Instruct workers, management and client of the hazard exposure and the hazardous condition.
  1. Decide if the hazard hazardous condition can be eliminated.
  1. If the exposure cannot be eliminated what type of exposure control will be implemented.
  1. Select the control: engineering, administrative, or PPE or a good selection of all.
  1. Apply the control.

Let’s review each step. 

Step 1: Recognizing the Hazard

The ability to recognize and identify a hazard and/or a hazardous condition is a necessary first step. Like a proven recipe this step has to be done.

What does it take to be able to perform this first step? A trained and educated field safety representative/competent person. Recognizing and identifying hazards comes with training and education and experience.

Hazard recognition can be accomplished thru a series of tools. Establishing a pre job assessment of work is necessary. A well thought out job safety analysis or a job hazard analysis should be implemented.

Step 2: Instruction

The word instruct: What is the definition of instruct? “To direct to do something; order, to teach (someone) how to do (something), and to furnish with information.”

Communication is key. Not only having the ability to communicate to workers but also upper management. Again, the risk assessment (JSA or JHA) must have a key component that revolves around communication.

Step 3: Decide if the Exposure Can Be Eliminated

Elimination in this context is the total removal of the hazard to cause any harm at all. An example of elimination would be doing work on the ground instead of in an elevated situation. There by eliminating the fall to lower level hazard.

Step 4: Select a Control Measure

Select a control measure that will put a barrier between the worker and the hazardous exposure. The hierarchy of safety controls is represented by the following categories:

  1. Engineering Control
  2. Administrative Control
  3. Personal Protective Equipment Control

OSHA defines these controls as follows:

  • Engineering Controls: Consist of substitution, isolation, ventilation and equipment modification. Example: reducing the risk of a hazardous dust by using a vacuum system.
  • Administrative Controls: Consist of risk assessments, inspections, audits, training, and education. Example: Having workers attend an OSHA Outreach class that discusses hazard exposure. 
  • Personal Protective Equipment Control: Consist of any piece of equipment that a worker will wear on their body. PPE is required when a separate hazard assessment determines the hazard and the type of PPE that will be appropriate for the reduction of an exposure. For example selecting the appropriate goggle to prevent a chemical splash to the eyes.

Step 5: Application of the Control Measure or a Combination of Controls.

Put these controls in place in a timely manner. Educate workers on how and why these controls will be used.

In order for a safety and health workplace to be successful, a sound process, like a good recipe, will give the organization consistency and uniformity.

Filed Under: From the Staffing Experts, Uncategorized

How Safety Can Land Industrial Contractors Bigger Jobs

October 20, 2022 By John Cambre

If bigger jobs is the goal, industrial contractors need to be aware of the importance of their safety personnel. Safety professionals play a vital role in any industrial contracting business, and it is crucial to find the right people for the job.

In this blog, we will discuss how you can find the best safety personnel for your business, and how to manage them effectively.

The importance of safety personnel in the industrial contracting industry

Safety personnel are essential in any industrial contracting business, such as construction, mining, or manufacturing. They are responsible for ensuring the safety of employees and customers, as well as preventing accidents and injuries.

Without proper safety personnel in place, industrial contractors could face a variety of problems. For example, if an accident were to occur, the company would be liable for any damages or injuries sustained. This could result in lawsuits, which could bankrupt the business.

In addition, if safety protocols are not followed, it could lead to OSHA violations. These fines can be very costly, and can damage the reputation of the company. It is important to avoid these problems by having a good process for finding and managing quality safety professionals.

This can be a challenge, but there are ways to make it easier by following a process.

How to find the best safety personnel for your business

When looking for safety personnel, it is important to consider the specific needs of your business.

Some factors you will need to take into account include:

  • The size of your business
  • The type of work you do
  • The type of industry you work in
  • The geographical area you operate in

This information will determine the type of safety personnel you need, and it will also help you narrow down your search.

Once you have a good understanding of your needs, you can start looking for candidates. The best way to find qualified candidates is by using a professional safety recruiting agency. A good recruiting agency will already have a database of qualified candidates and will be able to match the right person with the right job quickly.

The alternative is to post a job ad online and screen potential employees yourself. This can be a good way to attract candidates who are already interested in working in the industrial contracting industry. However, the screening process can be time-consuming and you may not have the resources to properly vet each candidate.

For tips on screening safety professionals, read our blog on important skills to look out for here.

How to manage safety personnel for optimal performance

Once you have found the right safety personnel for your business, it is important to manage them effectively to ensure they are performing at their best and the project continues smoothly.

There are a few key things you can do to manage safety personnel effectively:

  • Set clear expectations
  • Communicate regularly
  • Provide training and development opportunities
  • Monitor performance closely

If you are managing temporary safety personnel, that comes with additional challenges, including:

  • Ensuring the safety professional is adequately trained
  • Ensure logistics are in place
  • Making sure the safety professional understands the project scope
  • Coordinating communication between the safety professional and other project stakeholders

ResponsAble Safety Staffing assigns a project manager to each client specifically for this reason. We are able to provide support and guidance to ensure the success of your project so you can focus on your business.

Common mistakes to avoid in managing safety projects

There are a few common mistakes that companies make when managing safety projects:

  • Not having a clear plan or budget
  • Hiring warm bodies instead of experienced and vetted workers
  • Ignoring interpersonal conflicts
  • Not communicating regularly

As an example, we’ve seen how ignoring interpersonal conflict can lead to disaster. If there is a personality clash between the safety manager and the project manager, it can quickly escalate and result in disruptions on the job site. This can ultimately lead to accidents and injuries due to distractions.

It is important to avoid these mistakes by being proactive and thoughtful about your safety project from start to finish.

The bottom line

Landing bigger industrial contracting jobs requires having quality safety personnel in place. The best way to find and manage safety personnel is by following a process that includes working with a professional safety staffing agency and setting clear expectations. By doing this, you can avoid common mistakes and ensure your safety project is a success.

If you are interested in learning more about how we can help you with your safety staffing needs, contact us today. ResponsAble can provide qualified safety personnel for your next job, including safety technicians, confined space attendants, heavy laborers, hole/fire watch, and more.

For more information on how to find and manage safety personnel for your business, check out our blog.

Filed Under: From the Staffing Experts, Uncategorized

OSHA’s Focus Four: What They Are and How to Control Them

August 15, 2022 By John Cambre

What is OSHA’s Focus Four and which controls can we implement to mitigate the risk?

In the world of safety and health management systems (SHMS), safety professionals control worker exposure to hazards using a systematic approach.

The old hierarchy approach was to start with implementing an engineering control, followed by an administrative control, and ending with what we call the last line of defense a personal protective equipment (PPE) control. In 2015, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) updated the hierarchy of controls. The model looks like the following image:

OSHA developed the Focus Four initiative in 1994 to target the top four safety hazards in construction:

  1. Falls from heights
  2. Struck by
  3. Caught in between
  4. Electrical shock

The source for this information was provided by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (bls.gov) which is tasked to collect workplace injury statistics. These four hazards produce the overwhelming number of construction fatalities and injuries.

Focus Four Number One: Falls to lower level

Falls are the leading cause of death in construction. In 2020, there were 351 fatal falls to a lower level out of 1,008 construction fatalities (BLS data).

Employers in construction are required to implement a fall hazard awareness training program. The program is required to train and educate workers who work at elevated heights of six feet or more below the lower level. And the training is required to be documented and certified. The trainer is also required to be qualified and competent in fall protection systems.

The OSHA standard requires the training include the following:

  • The nature of fall hazards in the work area
  • The correct procedures for erecting, maintaining, disassembling, and inspecting the fall protection systems to be used
  • The use and operation of guardrail systems, personal fall arrest systems, safety net systems, warning line systems, safety monitoring systems, controlled access zones, and other protection to be used
  • The role of each employee in the safety monitoring system when this system is used
  • The limitations on the use of mechanical equipment during the performance of roofing work on low-sloped roofs
  • The correct procedures for the handling and storage of equipment and materials and the erection of overhead protection
  • The role of employees in fall protection plans
  • The standards contained in 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M Fall Protection

The fall protection training includes engineering, administration and PPE controls. See OSHA’s Fall Prevention Campaign | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Focus Four Number Two: Struck by

A struck-by hazard refers to an accident/incident in which a worker is hit and injured by an object, tool, or piece of equipment. Struck-by hazards are mostly related to improper material and equipment handling as well as poor housekeeping. Struck-by hazards originate from many sources. Struck by hazards on average produce the second most fatal outcomes. This hazard exposure is the leading cause of nonfatal injuries in the construction industry.

There are limited OSHA standards that address struck by hazards. In January of 2022 OSHA had investigated 15 struck by fatalities. The two leading causes for struck by fatalities were dropped objects and mobile equipment.

Controls for struck by exposures could include implementing a drop zone program (engineering and administrative control) and providing workers with reflective vests and hard hats (personal protective equipment).

In April of 2019, the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) created the National Stand Down To Prevent Struck By Incidents initiative to help bring awareness to this hazard. CPWR | Struck-By Hazards

Focus Four Number Three: Caught in between

This categorization includes construction workers who are killed when caught in or compressed by equipment or objects, as well as the hazards of being struck, caught, or crushed in a collapsing structure, equipment, or material. On average caught in between injuries are the third most common in construction.

The primary caught in between exposure in construction is a trench collapse. Dirt is heavy. A cubic yard of class C soil can weigh on average as much as a midsize car.

On July 14, 2022, OSHA issued a news release that stated the following:

”WASHINGTON – In 2022’s first six months, 22 workers have fallen victim to the deadly hazards present in trenching and excavation work – surpassing 15 in all of 2021 – and prompting the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration to launch enhanced enforcement initiatives to protect workers from known industry hazards.

To stress the dangers of disregarding federal workplace safety requirements for trenching and excavation work, OSHA enforcement staff will consider every available tool at the agency’s disposal. These actions will place additional emphasis on how agency officials evaluate penalties for trenching and excavation related incidents, including criminal referrals for federal or state prosecution to hold employers and others accountable when their actions or inactions kill workers or put their lives at risk.”

Employers are required to implement a cave in protective system (engineering control) in a trench which is deeper than it is wide and when the depth reaches five feet. OSHA also requires a competent person (administrative control) to manage a trench/excavation job site.

OSHA has had a National Emphasis Program (NEP) directive in place since 2018 which describes how the enforcement agency will address the hazards of a trench. See https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/enforcement/directives/CPL-02-00-161_0.pdf

Some additional caught in between hazards are:

  • Exposure to rotating equipment
  • Unguarded parts
  • Equipment rollovers
  • Caught between the counterweight of the crane and another structure

Focus Four Number Four: Electrical shock

Electrocutions are the fourth leading cause of death among construction workers in the United States. An average of 143 construction workers are killed each year by contact with electricity.

Electrical workers had the most electrocutions per year, followed by construction laborers, carpenters, supervisors of non-electrical workers, and roofers according to bls.gov.

Contact with overhead power lines or live circuits in panels, poorly maintained cords and tools, and lightning strikes are the main electrical hazard exposures. More than 70% of those killed were not electricians. Overhead power lines are the main killers.

You can be killed instantly if you are using the following equipment and it encounters an overhead power line:

  • Aluminum extension pole for paint rollers
  • Backhoes and cranes
  • Concrete pumpers
  • Long-handled cement finishing floats
  • Metal ladders
  • Raised dump truck beds
  • Scaffolding

Electrocution occurs when a person is exposed to a lethal amount of electrical energy. Electric shock occurs upon contact of a body part with any source of electricity that causes a flow of current through the skin, muscles, or hair. The resulting injuries could be heart attack, thermal burns, and amputation.

To avoid shocks and electrocution, workers must be mindful of hazards such as contact with power lines, contact with energized sources and improper use of extension and flexible cords.

Maintain a safe ten-foot minimum distance from overhead power lines (administrative control), use ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) (an engineering control), inspect portable tools and extension cords (administrative control), using power tools and equipment as designed, and follow lockout/tagout procedures (administrative control). There are a handful of OSHA standards that address the hazard of electricity.

For more information go to Electrical – Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (osha.gov)

Safety managers, field supervisors, foremen, and other safety workers should be aware of the Focus Four on a daily basis and address those hazards in their pre job risk assessments.

For more information: Construction Focus Four Training | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (osha.gov)

Reducing Risk with Safety Professionals from ResponsAble

Struggling to find qualified safety professionals for a contracted or direct hire position? As expert safety recruiters, we help you get the job done. ResponsAble is the safety recruiting company that helps you find the right people with the necessary skills to effectively and safely complete the job. Big or small, temporary or permanent. For more information, please submit a contact form here.

Filed Under: From the Staffing Experts

Who should be your OSHA competent person?

August 2, 2022 By John Cambre

As most of us know, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, is the workplace governing body for the safety of workers in a variety of industries.

The thing that most of us do not know, is how to implement it. Most of the safety and health management systems do not know how that system works.

Why do workers get hurt?

We could agree on some of the following causes: uncontrolled hazard exposure, complacency, lack of knowledge, lack of leadership, and just doing stupid stuff.

Let us look at uncontrolled hazard exposure. A common lesson in safety and health management training is the concept of “what does it take to have an accident?” When a hazardous condition and an exposure exist without a barrier, we have a substantial risk of an injury.

Let’s look at an example

There is a construction site. The contractor is excavating the site to install an underground utility. The excavation is deeper than six feet. The excavation is a trench according to an OSHA definition. An OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officer (CSHO) shows up unexpectedly to conduct a work site inspection. He names himself as an CSHO, shows his credentials and ask, “Who is in charge?” The contractor supervisor replies “I am.” The CSHO responds “I would like to go and see your trench?” The supervisor and CSHO walk toward the open trench. On the way the CSHO ask the following question: “What type of soil do you have?” The supervisor, in a noticeably confident tone, replies “Oh, that’s good soil!” Guess what? Wrong answer. The inaccurate reply gives the CSHO the evidence he needs to document a citation and notes it in is inspection file. The citation: no competent person on site.

The importance of having an OSHA competent person on site

Why is the soil analysis important? Soil is unpredictable and hazardous. Especially if a worker is in the deep trench without a suitable protective system. If there is no protective system, the worker is exposed to a cave in. A cubic yard of class C soil can weigh on average 2500 lb. Who is responsible under OSHA regulations for identifying the soil type and hazard it creates and implementing that protective system? The competent person.

The OSHA Excavation and Trenching construction standard requires that all excavations have a competent person assigned to it to find hazards that could harm a worker and have the authorization to take prompt corrective actions to control that hazard exposure. This is a management responsibility.

In fact, the OSHA library of workplace standards for employers contain over one hundred requirements for the presence of a competent person.

What is the definition of an OSHA competent person?

The term “Competent Person” is used in many OSHA standards and documents. An OSHA “competent person” is defined as “one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them” [29 CFR 1926.32(f)].

According to an OSHA directive, the CSHO will assess a competent person using an interview process. Questions the CSHO could use: What type of training and/or experience do they have, are they knowledgeable of applicable standards, are they capable of finding workplace hazards relating to the specific operation and finally do they have the authority to correct them. Some standards add more specific requirements which must be met.

The following is more information from a specific OSHA letter of interpretation:

“For the purposes of OSHA’s safety and health standards for the construction industry, “competent person” is defined in 29 CFR 1926.32(f) as “one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.” This definition is further clarified in the preamble for the rulemaking on excavations (FR 54 45909) issued on October 31, 1989. That preamble states that what constitutes a “competent person” depends on the context in which the term is used. In order to be a “competent person” for the purposes of the excavation standard, one must have specific training in, and be knowledgeable about, soils analysis, the use of protective systems, and the requirements of the excavation standard. One who does not have this training or knowledge is not considered by OSHA to be capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in excavation work nor capable of taking the necessary corrective measures. By contrast, a “qualified” person or engineer, as defined in 1926.32(l), might have more technical expertise, but would not necessarily have expertise in hazard recognition or the authority to correct identified hazards.”

A Safe Workplace is Sound Business

As an employer, you must ensure that you have a safe workplace for your workers. It is a moral and humanistic approach to business. To ensure your company is managing risk across the board, you need to make sure your workers are safe in every aspect of the workplace. Incidents can and do happen. The prevention of occupational injuries and illnesses is the mission of OSHA and should be one of the core values an organization respects.

You need to use a proactive approach to managing your workplace safety. Many times, it is not addressed until after the fact. Accidents on the job or in operating heavy equipment have caused injuries or fatalities.

One of the best ways to address issues before they escalate is to train and educate each worker to become a competent person according to the OSHA definition and on the specific OSHA regulations.

So, who will be your competent person?

For more information check out https://www.osha.gov/competent-person

Reducing Risk with Safety Professionals from ResponsAble

Struggling to find qualified safety professionals for a contracted or direct hire position? As expert safety recruiters, we help you get the job done. ResponsAble is the safety recruiting company that helps you find the right people with the necessary skills to effectively and safely complete the job. Big or small, temporary or permanent. For more information, please submit a contact form here.

Filed Under: From the Staffing Experts

4 Safety Professional Skills Critical for Project Success

June 30, 2022 By John Cambre

As a business specializing in sourcing safety staff, we are pretty good at identifying a prospective employee’s hard skills, practical experience and formal education. A resume, a few interviews and some reference checks provide substantial insight into basic competency for a given safety professional.

The real challenge in sourcing employees who possess the total package of Safety Professional skills is evaluating their soft skills competencies.

89% of respondents to a 2019 LinkedIn Global Talent Trends survey reported that bad hires were a result of lacking soft skills.

Our experience in maintaining a high level of client satisfaction with safety staff echoes the LinkedIn survey results. Problems on projects regarding the Safety Professional’s skills are rarely related to a lack of core safety skills competency, but nearly always tied to a break down in the soft skill arena.

It is common for an industrial or commercial project requiring safety support to include a variety of trades and associated contractors working the job at the same time. The Safety Professional’s skills that have the greatest impact on project success are those that influence the many contractors in a positive way; effectively maintaining a safe workplace while minimizing conflicts and tension.

4 Safety Professional Skills Critical for Project Success

1. Communication

Communication skills lay the foundation for all the other soft skills. Active listening and the ability to articulate concepts clearly are critical to a Safety Professional’s success in effectively collaborating with other employees on a job site. We strongly recommend a substantial portion of the evaluation of prospective Safety Professionals for your project include both their ability to actively listen and their ability to verbalize abstract concepts.

2. Collaboration

Safety Professional Soft Skills must include the ability to effectively collaborate. Few things will turn a job south faster than a “lone wolf” Safety Professional who develops a combative relationship with your tradesman or supervision on site. Evaluating a candidate’s disposition for effective collaboration can be tricky as everyone is putting on their best face for an interview process. Role playing through example situations and looking for longevity in prior assignments are two helpful techniques.

3. Creativity

Creativity is necessary when it comes to effective problem solving. A deficiency of creativity in Safety Professional skills often results in rigidity; the stiff law enforcer rather than the security and safety consultant. All interviews should include specific questioning and role play to allow a candidate to demonstrate their ability to see obstacles and devise creative responses in real time.

4. Adaptability

For the sake of this post, adaptability is synonymous with flexibility. Adaptability and flexibility describe a Safety Professional’s skill with being able to effectively apply their knowledge through changing circumstances and remaining engaged. While creativity is more of an innate capability; adaptability is more of a “want to” criteria. An effective Safety Professional will have a service mentality that demonstrates that they want to provide quality support no matter the circumstances or challenges. Past performance is the best indicator of how flexible an employee is likely to be in the future so careful review of past work roles and feedback from references can be helpful assessing a candidates adaptability for your project.

Why Pay Attention to Soft Skills for Safety Professionals?

The 4 Safety Professional Skills Critical for Project Success described here often end up falling in priority as project start dates compress the hiring timeline. Hiring managers often feel they need the basic hard skills most so may be willing to make an offer to a candidate without thorough vetting for the soft skills.

Don’t do it…

The best way to evaluate a Safety Professional skill set is through personal experience on the job. The next best way is to include specific questioning, roles plays and criteria for measuring critical soft skills throughout your hiring process.

Elevate the priority of the soft skills described to improve your project safety and reduce turnover resulting from bad hires.

ResponsAble’s Safety Staffing Services

Struggling to find qualified safety professionals for a contracted or direct hire position? As expert safety recruiters, we help you get the job done. ResponsAble is the safety recruiting company that helps you find the right people with the necessary skills to effectively and safely complete the job. Big or small, temporary or permanent. For more information, please submit a contact form here.

Filed Under: From the Staffing Experts, Safety Staffing Jobs, Uncategorized

Next Page »

Footer

Recent Blog Posts

  • Our Top Ten Resources for the Safety and Health Professional
  • A Recipe for Safety Success
  • How Safety Can Land Industrial Contractors Bigger Jobs

Affiliations

veriforce

Available Positions

Apply Now

Contact Us

Phone: (225) 753-1909

Address:
3043 Old Forge Dr
Baton Rouge, LA  70808
United States

ResponsAble is a Minority-Owned Business.

Copyright © 2023 · ResponsAble Staffing | Privacy Policy | Privacy Tools

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
Privacy Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT