Summer Safety Diminishes High Costs of Injury

By John W. Conover IV
President, Trane Americas

Editor’s Note: Summer is a critical time for safety for everyone involved in construction projects. By staying aware, conducting thorough training, and following basic guidelines and best practices for incident prevention, it is possible to avoid the high personal and financial costs of injury and illness incurred on the job.
Trane Americas’ President John Conover offers practical advice for getting through the summer construction season unscathed.

Safety on the constrGuction site is imperative to the physical health of employees and for the financial health of everyone involved in a project, from builders and construction companies to contractors and subcontractors. 

The summer construction season is a time of high incident rates, many of which can be prevented. One area where incidents can be greatly diminished is building systems installations. Best practices for summer safety in HVAC installations help save human and financial costs.

The true financial costs of on-the-job injuries include workers’ compensation claims, lost work time, medical costs and project delays, not to mention possible legal costs. 
Construction has the highest injury rate of any private industry in the United States. Construction accounts for about 6% of all U.S. workers, but 20% of the fatalities—the largest number reported for any of the industry sectors, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Since construction sites are subject to OSHA regulations and inspections, in addition to state legislation, the goal is to diminish as much as possible the risks for recordable incidents. These include incidents that result in medical treatment beyond first aid, loss of consciousness or a significant injury or illness. A lost workday incident is not only a more severe OSHA recordable incident but also a detriment to productivity.

Safety is about more than compliance. A company’s safety record is a reflection of its competency and productivity.

Here are some key considerations to help ensure a safe summer on the construction site:

Cultivate a Safety Culture
Make sure your environmental, health and safety program is in place and being followed by all staff and contractors. Supervisors and managers have to drive the program by demanding compliance. This summer review the EHS program, make sure it’s correct and complete and that everyone in the company understands it. Review with personnel any changes to the building, new equipment, and renovation projects that might pose new hazards at your facility.

Create Safety Audits
To target any gaps in your safety program, determine whether you want the audit to be handled internally or by an outside consultant.

You can find resources to assess and benchmark your EHS program on the U.S. National Safety Council site or on the OSHA Web site.

Conduct Monthly Training
All staff members, new and experienced, need safety training. The most effective training programs combine informational components with hands-on training. For example, have the contractors practice proper lifting, climbing and materials-handling techniques.

Experienced workers often have a lot to offer newer employees on the subject of safety. During training, provide an opportunity to exchange information and anecdotes. 
Discuss summer safety concerns, including the need to stop, think and take care, even in the rush to get a job done. Some types of facilities, such as manufacturing or chemical plants, have special safety standards that require additional training. Consider courses, materials and videos offered by your service contractor, the OSHA Training Institute, the Safety & Occupational Health Council and industry associations.

Make Planning Routine
Even under the pressure of a cooling emergency, take time to plan ahead. Some steps to take before starting equipment repair or replacement include assigning tasks to the most qualified personnel, ensuring you have the right tools and personal safety equipment and determining how many people are needed to move heavy equipment. 
Develop a simple planning sheet for your staff to run through before starting any work.
On construction sites, it is common that staff, contractors and subcontractors do not always follow the same safety procedures. Discuss with the customer the safety programs in place on the site and how to ensure that your team’s safety program is in line with theirs.

Take Electricity Precautions
Technicians work daily with electricity and generally feel comfortable with its risks. Yet every year we hear horror stories of serious burns, injuries or death caused by electricity.

Although high-voltage systems pose the greatest risk, electrical accidents can occur even when working with lower voltage. In fact, most severe electrical-related incidents involve voltages at or below 480 volts. Don’t ever let your guard down when working with electricity.

Examine the electrical system and its condition before starting work. Beware of any damaged equipment, wiring, surfaces or wet areas that can lead to electric shock. It is a common mistake that service technicians turn off the wrong disconnect switch. Check the circuit with a voltmeter and be certain that the power is off. And, of course, make sure to enact lockout and tag procedures before starting any work.

Watch Your Back
Some of the most common injuries to service technicians and maintenance personnel involve muscle, joint or disc injuries to the back. To avoid these accidents, it is critical to understand correct positioning when lifting or moving heavy equipment. Always consider mechanical means for material handling before manual lifting when possible.

Some tips include bending at the knees, keeping the chest forward, leading with the hips and keeping the weight close to the body. An injury-free back also improves the quality of life at home.

During one of your staff training sessions, consider having a physical therapist demonstrate proper lifting, moving and climbing techniques. Also, demonstrate ways to avoid wrist sprains, which commonly occur on the job.

Climb with Care
A fall from a ladder at any height can cause a serious injury. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that 65,000 people every year receive emergency room treatment because of ladder accidents. Workers on construction sites are especially at risk.

Some of the obvious, but often overlooked, techniques include making sure that the ladder rests against a flat, firm service, and that it does not touch any electrical wires. Never carry heavy items up a ladder. Always climb looking forward, using both hands. Practice the “Three Points of Contact Rule.”

Ensure Proper Hazmat Handling
Regularly review with facility personnel Material Safety Data sheets. Your service contractor can also provide these.

During the summer, a lot of refrigerant is used for cooling systems. Your service contractor will provide information on the proper handling of refrigerants.
Some basic tips include:
• Always store refrigerants in a clean, dry, area out of direct sunlight.
• Wear protective clothing, including gloves and eye protection when handling refrigerant.
•  Keep an eye out for any leaks and make sure they are repaired as soon as possible.
• If a large refrigerant spill occurs, make sure the area is evacuated until it has been thoroughly ventilated.
• Do not use an open flame near refrigerant in an area that is not properly ventilated.
• Never perform any repair on pressurized equipment.
• Always ventilate the work area before using an open flame.

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