Oil company hosed the library and maybe the town, too … Suburban high school evacuated after chemical spill …

Click to see Map-A-Spill

Click to see products for emergency spill response

It is true that everybody’s line of work exposes them to different hazards. People who fell trees are more likely to be squashed by a tumbling sequoia than a housekeeper at the Hilton. Over-the-road truckers are more likely to be involved in crash than the guy who pretends to be a Roman guard at Caesar’s Palace. Make sense?

And people who work with electricity and electrical equipment are more likely to be shocked or electrocuted than people who do not, but this is ridiculous:

I wonder how many OSHA inspectors saw that show…

Click here to read the first installment of a new column at Reliable Plant magazine. The author, Wayne Vaughn, recently retired from 28 years as head of maintenance at a Harley-Davidson plant.

I’m not sure just where this story is headed, but I assume it has a happy ending. The words that intrigued me are:

When I entered the field of maintenance years ago, I had one advantage: I knew absolutely nothing about the field of maintenance. 

The gist is that while Vaughn educated himself in the field over a number of years, he had no choice but to rely on the knowledge of the maintenance veterans that he (ironically) managed. He calls them his biggest asset.

At the same time, he set out a vision that he needed the workers to rally behind. I get the idea that it wasn’t easy going (he calls this creating “very public failure potential”) but that he thinks it’s vital, because he says:

by getting engagement of your people and letting them see where you want to go, and getting their input to that final destination, you are far more likely to succeed than if you just did it on your own.

The column ends with his team about to propose a strategic plan. I made a note to check back and see what happens.

Maybe you saw the post where I mentioned that I threw up on the bathroom wall on my first day at New Pig.

Ah, memories.

I can’t exactly recall how I dealt with the mess (well, i do know that i was wipin’ down a wall as fast as possible — bizzy bizzy bizzy), but it got me to thinking about best practices for such a circumstance. I posed the question to New Pig Technical Service.

Without even batting an eye, Lisa Baxter supplied me with the great information below. Thanks, Lisa!

Selesia,

Here are questions I’d ask you:

1) is it all liquid or chunks too and how much, a lot or a little?

2) Any blood?

3) How many surfaces did you hit and what are they (painted wall, porcelain, tile or all three or others)?

4) Do you just want to clean it up or disinfect too?

5) Did you get it on yourself?

Products to clean up the mess:

1) Respirator with cartridges for the smell (organic vapor/acid gas, RSP302-00 & RSP101)

2) Gloves so you don’t have to touch the mess (GLV165 or other disposable glove)

3) Bio-hazard step-on container for disposal (PLS743 & PLS745)
4) Safety glasses if you are not wearing a full-face respirator (GLS422 makes you look cool)

5) Selectsorb Multi-Purpose Spill Aid (PLP414), Vomitus Cleanup Kit (PLS1131), Biosafety Spill Cleanup Kit (PLS1245), or if you want an all-in-one-type kit, Body Fluid Cleanup Pack (PLS1013)
6) PIG® Universal Mat or Pillow if you have a lot of liquid or a PIG® BLUE Absorbent Sock or PIG® SUPER Absorbent Sock for diking the liquid and keep it from running out the door

7) If you have chunks, use scoops, brooms, dustpans or vacuums (See pages 265-270 for some good products )
Surface Sanitizers WIP58040 plus Hand Sanitizers (WIP960)

9) Then because it smells so bad you might want to try Arm & Hammer Baking Soda with Fragrance (ODR116 or ODR117)
10) if you have it on you, you can get a Tyvek/Provent suit to change into while you wash off your clothes and dry them (WPL916)

11) Disposable boots so you don’t step in it while cleaning it up (WPL222)

Hope this helps you clean your mess … and hope you are feeling better…

There are still other items you could use: Loose absorbents such as loose cob and Vermiculite, signs that say “Wet Floor,” tons more …
Lisa

“Feed the Pig” commercials like the one below have a great message: save money.

On the other hoof, some swine (cough, like me, ahem) can pull off the ambulatory, clothes-wearing thing, and some are just … kinda creepy.

It’s kind of funny that a nuclear power plant—the largest provider of electricity in Vermont—is heated with fuel oil.

Click to see Map-A-Spill

Click to see products for emergency spill response

Here’s a timely article for anyone involved in hazardous response: Surviving Hazmat Incidents in Tough Economic Times. A retired specialist gives tips on coping with budget cuts. The ideas include:

• Team up with other local emergency service providers. Consider combining operations. Buy supplies such as absorbents in bulk. Work together on purchases of supplies that expire. Hold joint trainings. Better yet, try to get suppliers to throw in training for free with purchases.
• Charge for services. This may go against the grain, but it beats shutting down your service. Be sure to check applicable laws on this.
• Buy supplies such as absorbents through cleanup contractors to replace stock faster and eliminate a separate bill.

There are also some words of caution, including:

• Don’t cut costs the wrong way when it comes to atmospheric monitors; i.e., be careful about skimping on the costs of equipment checks.
• Check on the status of partners that you rely on, such as a highway department or construction company that’s been a source for heavy equipment. Don’t be caught by surprise if they’ve had to sell off equipment or have even shut down.

Assuming things is just a bad habit in general, but when it comes to safety, it can be deadly. Workers who assume that a machine is powered down or that two chemicals are safe to mix together can end up paying dearly for their assumptions.

Another safety area where assuming can be hazardous is education and training. Trying to keep your workplace safe can sometimes seem like common sense, but assumptions can be dangerous. Do not allow your comfort level with a certain topic to dictate safety training. Just because you understand a safety issue, don’t assume that everybody does.

I know I feel like I address the same issues numerous times and cover the same basic tenets of safety over and over. What can seem old to you might be unknown to someone else.

Also, do not allow an employee’s tenure influence safety training. Joe might have years of service under his belt. He may have been there for 30 years doing the same job— never hurt once. Don’t assume he knows how to be safe. It is better to cover safety with someone who knows it than it is to pass over training with someone who you assume knows it.

Plus, safety changes. Rules, regulations and even standard practices change. You must keep your workforce up to date. Folks will tell you after they get hurt, “I’ve been doing it like that for years and never got hurt.”

Watch some tenured folks work. You’ll be amazed by their fluid motion, ability, and the quality and quantity of their output.

You’ll also be amazed how some seasoned veterans cut corners when it comes to safety. Sometimes they don’t care. Sometimes they feel over-confident. Sometimes they just don’t know what’s safe. You need to ensure that your folks all understand what proper safety practices are.

OSHA definitely does not want to hear that you assumed that someone knew about safety. Make sure you document your safety training with dated sign-in sheets. If there is ever a question during an inspection or accident investigation, this documentation will show OSHA that your personnel have been trained.

So don’t assume when it comes to safety training, because assuming might get you fined or worse, it might get someone injured or killed.

Hey! I just found out that about this series of PIG books.  Here’s just one:

I’ll have to look up the PIG pig (on the cover above) at the next convention of pig mascots. I’ll approach him from the right. Get it?

P.S. In case you didn’t know, at New Pig, “PIG” stands for “Partners In Grime.” Get it??