CEAT Safety Culture_Final

Oklahoma State University Environmental Health and Safety

(405) 744-7241

OSU Environmental Health & Safety

OBJECTIVES

Introduction to the safety culture and its impact

on University research and teaching programs.

Understanding the challenges of implementing a

safety culture.

Introduction to components of a safety plan.


TOPICS OF DISCUSSION

Discuss “safety culture”

How to create change in “safety culture”

Risk culture

Recent problems with “safety culture”

How to use the “safety culture” concept


WHAT IS “SAFETY CULTURE”?

Many definitions exist, most exhibit similar

themes such as

“the attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions shared by

natural groups as defining norms and values which

determine how they act and react in relation to risk

and risk control systems” (Hale, 2000)

A true culture of safety requires commitment

across the organization – with a particular

emphasis on the faculty directing the lab, as

they are primarily responsible and accountable

for its safe conduct


A STRONG SAFETY CULTURE

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission specified

nine traits of a good safety culture:

Demonstrated commitment to safety

Problem identification and resolution

Personal responsibility for safety

Process safety management

Continuous learning

Positive environment

Effective safety communication

Respectful work environment

Questioning attitude

(Hill, 2012)


ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

We have an ethical obligation to protect the

health and safety of all our constituencies

These efforts are essential to preserving the

public’s trust!

Important to remember: Not a single dollar is

provided to our institutions without a set of both

explicit and implicit expectations:

Explicit: funds to be used for certain work or activity

Implicit: the work is to be done ethically, compliantly,

safely


IMPACT OF SAFETY CULTURE ON AN

ORGANIZATION

A weak safety culture within an organization is

usually the result of one or more factors:

No clear commitment

Failure to establish accountability

Lack of interest

Weak or missing safety management system

Failure to adequately educate

Failure to evaluate

Failure to maintain strong safety awareness

Failure to learn lessons from past

Weak collaborative interactions

(Hill, 2012)


RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CREATING SAFETY

CULTURES IN ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS

To create vibrant, strong safety cultures in academic institutions, the Safety Culture Task Force makes the following recommendations:

Establish the lines of authority and responsibilities.

Advocate for safety and safety education.

Establish a strong and effective safety program.

Ensure faculty, staff and students are trained properly.

Implement hazards analysis procedures.


RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CREATING SAFETY

CULTURES IN ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS CONT.

Integrate safety culture through applicable curricula

Include safety training during all phases of research

Adopt a personal credo: the “Safety Ethic”

Effectively utilize the Incident Reporting System

Follow proper internal accident analysis protocols

Share case studies on lessons learned

Utilize the guidance and expertise of EHS

(Hill, 2012)


ACADEMIC SAFETY CULTURE MODEL

(Weil, 2012)


STEPS FOR SUCCESSFUL CHANGE

(Kotter, 2002)


UNDERSTAND THAT IT WILL NOT HAPPEN

OVERNIGHT

Real culture change requires a long term view

and commitment

Not an engineering solution – it’s an

organizational solution

Recently published report on a grassroots led,

management supported change at a major utility

that took 9 years to fully implement (Simon and

Cistaro, 2009)


SUGGESTED SHORT TERM WIN STEPS

Formally communicate high level commitment to

safety to the campus

Conduct routine lab safety assessments

Provide findings to designees for corrective action

As part of assessments actively solicit feedback

Establish various means for reporting events,

near misses


RISK CULTURES

Memorial to Bhopal victims

The concept of safety culture began to be

discussed in the 1980's, in the aftermath of large

systemic failures such as Love Canal,

Chernobyl and Bhopal.

In the early 1990's, Arie Rip, a

Belgian chemist, broadened the

idea of safety culture to identify

two types of Risk Cultures:

Danger Cultures and

Safety Cultures


RISK CULTURES ARE COMPLEX SYSTEMS

Some principles of complex systems:

Complex systems are only understood in hindsight

People learn about systems from stories

From the “UK Days Out”,

July 2012: Professor Nitrate's

Mad Lab a gang of hugely

excited children were shown

how to build rockets.

Is there

something wrong

with this picture?


CONTRASTING THE TWO TYPES OF RISK

CULTURES

Danger Culture Safety Culture

Background looking Forward looking; expecting

change

Slow to respond to changing

risks

Able to respond to changing

risks proactively

Focused on specific physical

risks

Focused on processes

In group oriented (focused on

people’s risks)

System risk oriented

Typical of press and

government attention to risk

Typical of organizations that

have suffered significant

losses (e.g. the Noble family)

(Styranec, 2014)


INJURIES/FATALITIES IN ACADEMIC LABS

Laboratory Safety Institute Virtual Memorial

Wall lists five fatalities in academic labs since

2001

CSB investigated academic

lab safety – focusing on an

accident at Texas Tech

University. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjDdl_d8br8

Multiple fume hood

explosion injuries

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjDdl_d8br8











CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD’S INTERPRETATION

OF THE REASON SWISS CHEESE MODEL

(Weil, 2012)


THREE RECENT ACCIDENTS

UCLA- In January 2009, Lab Tech Sheharbano 'Sheri‘ Sangji, died after being critically burned in a UCLA Chemistry Lab. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6NEdcZY2WY

Northwestern ‐In December 2010, a post doctoral student was severely injured when his experiment exploded in a Northwestern University Chemistry Lab.

Dartmouth ‐In 1997, Chemistry Professor Karen Wetterhahn, died from acute mercury poisoning after dropping two drops onto her glove. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h049Hgfk-BI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6NEdcZY2WY











https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h049Hgfk-BI












THREE CRITICAL VALUES DURING THE

THREE ACCIDENTS

Management Commitment to Safety

Communication of Vital Safety Information

Trust


MANAGEMENT COMMITMENT TO SAFETY

Most critical value

Feeds into trust, accountability

Critical to show support for safety activities

In academic institutions,

there are many levels of

management.

(Weil, 2012)


MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT

UCLA Northwestern Dartmouth

Changed

since

accident

Better,

worse or

same

Changed

since

accident

Better,

worse or

same

Changed

since

accident

Better,

worse or

same

Management

Commitment

to Safety Yes Better No Better Yes Better

Comments Previously lab safety at

UCLA was under the

radar. The Chancellor is

now supportive with

increase in funding for

creation of Center for

Lab Safety. Despite

budget constraints, UC

System started lab safety

institute and hiring staff.

The NU Dean's Office of

Arts and Sciences

sponsored the creation of

ISIS and the hiring of

the chemistry safety

officer.

The accident at

Dartmouth happened in

1997. Funding and

attention was paid to

address the cause of that

accident at the time,

creating a the

management structure of

today.


COMMUNICATION

External- Newsletters, scholarly

articles, conference presentations

Internal - Hazard assessments,

chemical handling and procedures,

SDS, previous experiences,

incident reporting

(Weil, 2012)


COMMUNICATION ASSESSMENT


Changed

since

accident

Better,

worse or

same

Changed

since

accident

Better,

worse or

same

Changed

since

accident

Better,

worse or

same

External Yes Better No Better Yes Better

Internal Yes Better Yes Better Yes Better

Comments Only downward and outward

communication have been

improved. There is no

indication that communication

from the students as to near

misses, or safety concerns are

entertained or addressed in

any fashion.

Northwestern has quietly

presented the accident for the

benefit of the chemistry and

chemical health and safety

community and produced an

award winning EHS

newsletter.

In response to the accident,

Dartmouth publicized the

hazards of dimethylmercury

and caused a reexamination of

the use and handling of it

through scholarly articles.

Information about the

accident changed and OSHA

regulatory policy document,

public opinion


TRUST

Critical to safety culture

Mutual trust promotes safety

Corresponds with open

communication, information

sharing, power sharing

Played a role in each accident

(Weil, 2012)


TRUST ASSESSMENT


Changed

since

accident

Positive,

negative or

neutral

Changed

since

accident

Positive,

negative or

neutral

Changed

since

accident

Positive,

negative or

neutral

Trust No positive Yes positive Yes positive

Comments UCLA had mentors within

some of the labs but it is not

clear that that was a

university policy.

NU’s mentoring program and

the safety policies

implemented in one lab after

the accident was a great leap

forward in instituting trust

amongst students.

Dartmouth mentioned trying

to instill a safe environment

at the outset of a student’s

career. EHS acts as a

consultant on safety

questions.


HAZARD ANALYSIS TO DEVELOP A STRONG

SAFETY CULTURE

Identifying

Lessons to

Be Learned

Defining the

Scope of

Research

Performing

the Work

Using the

Defined

Controls

Identifying

and

Evaluating

Hazards

(Hill, 2012)


COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE &

TECHNOLOGY

LABORATORY SAFETY PROGRAM


DEFINITION

A laboratory is a room that requires special-

purpose equipment or a specific room

configuration for experimentation, observation or

practice in an academic discipline.


FIVE MAJOR ELEMENTS

Element 1 – Hazard Identification

Element 2 – Chemical Hygiene Plan

Element 3 – Information and Training

Element 4 – Exposure Monitoring

Element 5 – Medical Consultation and Examination


ELEMENT 1 – HAZARD IDENTIFICATION

Chemical

Occupational Safety

Biological, Laser or Radiological

Fire/Life Safety

Other


ELEMENT 2 – CHEMICAL HYGIENE PLAN

(CHP)

The CHP is a written program stating the

policies, procedures and responsibilities that

protect workers from the health hazards

associated with the hazardous chemicals used in

that particular workplace.

A CHP must address virtually every aspect of the

procurement, storage, handling, and disposal of

chemicals in use in a facility.


ELEMENT 3 – INFORMATION & TRAINING

Site-specific

Hazardous Communications

Emergency Procedures

Waste Disposal

Personal Protective Equipment


ELEMENT 4 – EXPOSURE MONITORING

Job hazard analysis

Chemical lab hood evaluations

Air quality checks


ELEMENT 5 – MEDICAL CONSULTATION &

EXAMINATION

Medical requirements vary based on exposures

and operations in laboratories:

Occupational Health and Safety Program

IACUC

IBC

OSHA required physicals

Hearing conservation

Respiratory protection

Bloodborne Pathogen Program


TAKEAWAYS

Introduction to the safety culture and its impact

on University research and teaching programs.

Understanding the challenges of implementing a

safety culture.

Introduction to components of a safety plan.


ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

Programs and Services Fire Protection Engineering

Life Safety & Emergency Preparedness

Environmental Compliance

Laboratory Safety

Occupational Safety

Occupational Health and Medical Surveillance

Hazardous Materials Management

Industrial Hygiene

Safety Training

Location: University Health Services Bldg Room 002 (basement)

Phone number: 744-7241


QUESTIONS

CEAT Safety Culture_Final

Documents

Transcript of CEAT Safety Culture_Final