recalls how manufacturers complained back in the early 1970s that OSHA rules designed to reduce workplace accidents were an unfair burden. Now, companies often prominently post a large sign on their properties proclaiming X numbers of hours worked without a lost time accident. “In the next 10 to 15 years, safety will no longer be implemented by novice employees, and training and certification will not be optional,” adds Miller. “Unambiguous authority will be given. All departments will be involved—and constantly evaluated.”

Another way to increase safety awareness and knowledge is through joint professional volunteer work. Summers says, “CCPS has recently published on its Web site ( www.aiche.org/ccps/metrics/index.aspx)
a report on New Leading and Lagging Indicators of Process Safety Performance. There is so much interest in this CCPS guidelines book project that there are more than 50 committee members representing government, industry, education and engineering companies. Most people do not realize all of the exciting things going on at the committees right now. I feel privileged to be part of it.”

Then there is still another take on achieving a safety-competent workforce—involving everyone in risk assessment activities. Mike Duta, manager of machine safety services at vendor Rockwell Automation Inc., in Milwaukee, leads the assessment services team. The team performs risk assessments at client sites, actually working with the individuals who need to be protected as part of the analysis. “Companies that have top management active support for safety invest the time to ensure that people who are responsible have the technical background and training in machine safety,” Duta says. “Many people may know all the OSHA regulations and analysis tools, and that their electrical engineers and managers are well versed in NFPA 70, robotics standards and ANSI standards. A top-down approach drives responsibility.”

Dan Hornbeck, manager of safety systems business, also at Rockwell, says, “Look at the top companies who have visible safety programs, such as DuPont, General Motors, Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson. They have proven the appropriate cost rewards from safety management. I assure you that Rick Wagoner, chief executive officer at GM, is very aware of the safety metrics of the company. These companies assure that safety people are technically competent. Oftentimes, when a safety manager reports through the human relations department, they don’t have that in-depth technical knowledge.”

Identifying hazards and accomplishing a risk assessment process helps mitigate dangers. “We engage everyone from operations to maintenance to the cleaning crew to identify hazards. Part of the process includes defining what kind of training process they need in order to know how to work around their equipment,” says Hornbeck. “Another benefit from this engagement overcomes two trends current in manufacturing—going from an older to a younger, less experienced workforce, and using automation to enable one operator to cover more equipment. This creates a further hazard as operators switch from machine to machine.”

Know your machine

Once again, the issue comes back to operators knowing their machine or process as one of the keys to safety. Says Duta, “I see a lot of operators who don’t understand their equipment. They don’t always know what happens when they push a button. They should know every control element and know what each mode of operation is. Whenever we finish a risk assessment where the operators and team thoroughly go over a machine, I always hear the comment, ‘Boy, I wish we could do this more often.’ ”

While the experts, and even some companies, have a handle on safety competency, Miller, of Emerson, sums up the best. “It’s a bigger task than you might think. Most safety organizations used to be run by the seat of their pants—and some still are. They say, ‘We haven’t had an incident in 20 years. It will never happen to us. We know how to run our business.’ But if you look at reports from the United States and the United Kingdom, plus other documentation, there is always one common denominator for when problems occur—people. Someone didn’t operate, design or maintain the process right. Or they took chances when they shouldn’t have. Just as the latest report, the Baker Report on the BP Texas City explosion, stated, people were the problem.”

To view the accompanying article to this story, "Six Tips to Make Safety Everyone's Business", go to www.automationworld.com/view-4147 or read "Avoiding Arc Flash Hazards" at www.automationworld.com/view-4166.