Safety Culture in the News

How to build a culture of food safety

www.newfoodmagazine.com/article/1…

Jeannie Shaughnessy, CEO of PTNPA, explores what it takes to create a food safety culture and why it matters, offering helpful insights along the way.

When food safety culture becomes a core business component, it builds brand integrity, and creates common purpose and pride. Within such an environment, every person – from front office to front line – owns the privilege of being a part of this culture and the responsibility for making it work. But how is that accomplished and why is it important?

Food safety culture: perspectives

Built on a foundation of best practices, standards and regulatory compliance, a culture of food safety ultimately exists when dedication to food safety becomes an undeniable priority. When present, this culture serves as a point of pride for everyone in an organisation. Everyone must arrive at a place where they sincerely and consistently consider food safety as integral to all aspects of an organisation. The most authentic cultures that are committed to food safety do so because it’s simply the right thing to do.

Securing Patient Data In Healthcare Facilities

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How can health organizations establish a “culture” of safety? When safety is part of the corporate culture, each member of the organization takes personal responsibility for their actions and recognizes that they will be held accountable if they choose not to comply. Security works better when it’s collaborative; Employees should have insight into a company’s processes and the knowledge and skills to make smart decisions.

The following steps are a good place to start when developing a safety culture:

FCC 5G Approval Questioned by U.S. Lawmakers on Safety Grounds

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Democratic leaders of House Transportation Cmte call on FCC to provide technical data and give FAA more time to conduct risk assessments about the potential for 5G to interfere with aircraft safety equipment.

Democratic leaders of House Transportation Cmte call on FCC to provide technical data and give FAA more time to conduct risk assessments about the potential for 5G to interfere with aircraft safety equipment.

“The FCC’s and the telecom industry’s approach of ‘deploy now, fix later’ is anathema to the strong safety culture we have created and nourished in aviation over the last 20 years,” lawmakers say NOTE: FCC approved mobile phone providers use of frequencies in …

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Hazard, incident reporting app launched by CAA

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The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) has introduced a smartphone application for reporting hazards, accidents, or safety issues that pose a threat to air travelers.

The PCAA announced the launch via their official Twitter account, according to the post read, “Safety is Everyone’s Responsibility. PCAA is pleased to announce the launch of an android app “Voluntary Hazard/Incident Reporting System”.

The air travelers can download the application from Google Play Store, the PCAA post read.

The application has been developed to invite the general public and air travelers to become a part of the aviation department’s safety culture, according to an official statement released by the department.

Hazard, incident, accident, damage, deficiency, violation, failure, and services are just a few of the areas covered by the app.

Survey finds process safety gaps persist

www.controlglobal.com/articles/…

The latest annual report on corporate safety efforts conducted by Sphera, Chicago, points to continuing gaps in companies’ efforts to bolster process safety. In addition, the Safety Report 2021, issued at the end of October, covers an expanded landscape that includes health and safety, unlike the five previous reports. This reflects the structural adjustments necessitated by COVID-19 to keep workers safe. “The pandemic has highlighted just how quickly safety and risk management processes can be thrown off balance. Safety in all its aspects makes for a resilient and sustainable business model, especially in an era when ESG [environmental, social and governance] goals are of the utmost importance,” notes Sphera CEO and president Paul Marushka. “An effective safety culture and efficient safety process helps ensure a healthy workforce and enhanced business performance. However, we are still seeing a gap in how companies link safety and business performance, which highlights a need for a more holistic approach through data, software and expertise.”

Trained staff to play vital role in saving lives: DG

pakobserver.net/trained-s…

The Emergency Services Academy, Rescue 1122 trained 27 officials of Unilever Pakistan to enhance the professional skills of Unilever staff regarding emergency response and safety skills.

The training course on internationally recognized Community Action for Disaster Response (CADRE) Course organized by Safety Wing of Academy on the request of Unilever Pakistan Lahore.

The three-day course concluded at Manager Training Center of Emergency Services Academy here on Wednesday.

While addressing the participants Dr. Rizwan Naseer said, that only well-sensitized and professionally trained community member can play their effective role to save lives in case of any emergency or disaster.

Unilever in collaboration with Rescue Service shall promote safety culture in industries and all trained members shall further develop their teams for saving lives and promoting safety.

If You Think Managing Worker Health And Safety Is Expensive, Try An Accident

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While October was National Safe Work month in Australia, contract worker safety is a year-round commitment for the energy and natural resources industries. Thomas Barlow, head of SAP Fieldglass Center of Excellence, recently led an insightful conversation between a panel of experts who talked about how companies can keep contract workers safe by building a safety-first culture and using advanced technologies.

BRIN: Nuclear Plant Progress Hampered by Politics, Not Tech

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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The principal expert researcher of Nuclear Energy Research Organization, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Djarot S. Wisnubroto, explained that the main challenge of constructing a nuclear power plant in Indonesia is not the lack of technology but rather the lack of political willingness.

“The challenge actually lies in the socio-political aspect, when the decision to build the nuclear power plant is made and when we would ‘go nuclear’,” said the professor in an online discussion on nuclear and net zero emission on November 16.

According to Djarot, who led the National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN) from 2012-2018, the use of nuclear energy has always been a controversial topic and not exclusive to Indonesia’s political discourse. He believes scientists need to be prepared to provide evidence-based answers to explain the safety and benefit of nuclear energy.

“Perceptions will indeed vary, that is the fact, but the perception that nuclear is the safest energy will be hard to accept. There is a cultural and social problem, because the audience can be very diverse,” the professor added.

Other challenging aspects for the use of nuclear energy are the lengthy and costly construction process, preparations for the worst case scenario, and managing the radioactive waste. “Can we manage high-risk technology while we as a society have a low safety culture,” he said.

Listening Audits

https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/industry/industry-matters/on-the-safe-side/interactive-lab-audit.html?sc=210101_news_indnews_acsmters_share

Audits are an essential part of any laboratory safety program. Audits are the exams of safety preparation. Most of us do not like to do audits or have our facility audited.

Several years ago, my employer hired two auditing consultants from DuPont as part of their training program in laboratory safety. These gentlemen had been managers of research laboratories; they shared their safety management experiences with our research managers and staff. On the afternoon prior to their formal presentation, the consultants carried out an audit of our laboratories.

While our audits tend to focus on objects in the lab (e.g., labels, hazardous materials, safety equipment, working spaces, storage, waste collection, general housekeeping), the consultants were more interested in the people working in the lab. Most of the audit time was spent talking with the researchers in their work area. The consultants would introduce themselves, explain that they were conducting an audit for the company.

They asked the researcher to explain their job tasks. How did you learn how to do this? Who taught you? Are there any significant safety issues in performing this task? In general, do you feel safe working in this area? The researchers were quite comfortable talking with these consultants. Some enjoyed talking about their work; others appreciated being asked for their input about the lab and lab safety.

Healthy boardroom, healthy workplace

www.abc.net.au/radionati…

Board members play a pivotal role in influencing the culture of their organisations.

However, one key danger for organisations is when directors believe that “the absence of failure is a measure of success” .

To combat this, board member education is vital, according to experts who argue board members need broader training to ask the right questions and to understand how their mindset and decisions affect their organisations’ workplace culture and performance.

GOOD NEWS: MC offers RigPass and Basin United safety classes

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MIDLAND The Midland College Petroleum Professional Development Center (PPDC) is now accredited by the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) to conduct RigPass and Basin United safety classes.

Several months ago managers from Pioneer Natural Resources approached PPDC Director Erin Van Evera-Welch about providing IADC safety training. Pioneer is a member of the Executive Committee of Basin United, a collaboration of Permian Basin petroleum operators with the goal of eliminating serious oilfield injuries and fatalities. Other members of Basin United include Chevron, Cimarex Energy, ConocoPhillips, Devon Energy, Diamondback Energy, Endeavor Energy Resources, ExxonMobil and its subsidiary XTO Energy, Halliburton, Marathon Oil, Occidental Petroleum (Oxy), Parsley Energy, Patterson Drilling, Plains All American Pipeline, Schlumberger and Shell Energy.

Since 2015, there have been 342 fatalities in the U.S. oil and gas industry, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics fatality data for oil and gas. This includes 63 deaths in 2016, 81 in 2017, 94 in 2018 and 104 in 2019. The statistics are getting worse, not better.

“It is important that the Basin be a safe place to work, and it is our mission to upskill and train oilfield professionals in all aspects of their jobs, including safety,” Van Evera-Welch said. “The training is for anyone who does business in the energy sector, such as electrical contractors, oilfield service companies, sand transportation companies, etc. As an IADC accredited provider, staff at the PPDC will keep track of student enrollment and distribute certification cards to those who successfully complete each class.”

Van Evera-Welch explained that IADC curriculum consists of an engaging approach to safety training—not just a series of PowerPoint slides. The Basin United classes are composed of two 8-hour training seminars that use virtual reality, videos and interactive sessions to explore lifesaving actions, safety responsibilities and processes for building and sustaining a healthy safety culture at worksites.

‘Dollars before lives’: Workers hit out at Yallourn safety culture

www.smh.com.au/business/…

Workers at Yallourn power station, which supplies nearly a quarter of Victoria’s electricity, claim its owner Energy Australia has a “culture of dollars before lives” as details emerge about a potentially fatal on-site explosion in March.

The revelation of the March explosion comes as power station workers and Energy Australia await a decision from Victoria’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Kerri Judd, QC, on whether there will be any criminal charges over the 2018 workplace death of Yallourn unit controller Graeme Edwards.

Documents from Victoria’s workplace safety regulator, WorkSafe, describe a “catastrophic” explosion in one of Yallourn’s pulverised fuel mills on March 20.

Photographs of the March 20 explosion show the casing around the pulverising mill’s shaft blown apart, sparking a fire and flinging metal debris as far as 20 metres away.

FSAI event: Why a food-safety culture benefits us all

www.agriland.ie/farming-n…

The regulation, which amends an existing regulation, requires businesses to provide evidence of an appropriate culture by satisfying a number of requirements set out in the regulation.

The event will provide participants insights into the role of and consequences of food-safety culture for three distinct groups in the food system cycle:

The safety of all of us as consumers; Industry practitioners engaged in providing food for consumers worldwide; Regulators seeking to increase both public health and increased trade. These topics, and more, will be expanded on during the panel debate which will be chaired by Suzanne Campbell, author and journalist.

Spearfish stands down for safety

https://www.bhpioneer.com/local_news/spearfish-stands-down-for-safety/article_5d0abf98-43fa-11ec-988f-d3fecb095e3f.html

SPEARFISH — The city of Spearfish is taking an extra step towards its increasing safety culture by hosting a Safety Stand Down Day for its employees on Wednesday.

“The premise of a stand down day is to stand down all operations as much as feasible to allow employees to focus on professional development when it comes to safety,” explained Tyler Ehnes, safety coordinator for the city. “As a municipal government in South Dakota, OSHA has no authority over us as far as inspections and fines go, so we have no safety oversight. We’re choosing to do this as a community and as a staff on our own accord to keep people safe.”

City offices at the Restricted Use Site, Rec and Aquatic Center, and City Hall will all be closed on Wednesday for staff to attend safety-training seminars at the W. S. Tretheway Pavilion at the city park.

Change of culture needed to improve nautical safety locally

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The issue of nautical safety in the BVI may require closer attention given some challenges in the recent past.

This is according to the Director of the Virgin Islands Shipping Registry, John Samuel. The entity has oversight for maritime administration issues in the BVI, including the responsibility to conduct marine accident investigations where ever marine accidents may take place.

While appearing as a guest on the Honestly Speaking radio show, Samuel said the issue of marine accidents is one the Registry has struggled with in recent years.

One of the challenges that boaters in the BVI struggle with is that they know the waters mentally, Samuel said.

“When you operate knowing an area mentally, you operate very differently than if you had to actually practice navigation to operate safely. So you become more relaxed—your attention, you’re not as focused,“ Samuel said.

“Because we know the area so well and we can navigate it almost blindly, we perhaps tend maybe to not pay as much attention as we should when we are operating out on the water,” he further explained.

As a mitigation measure, Samuel suggested that safety campaigns needed to be improved and said the safety culture on the water also needed to be changed to give people a greater appreciation of the need to operate safely while on the water.

‘Safety is everyone’s responsibility’: University webinar emphasizes maintaining safety on-campus

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Actively taking steps to promote and facilitate an ongoing safety culture plays a crucial role in preventing life-threatening incidents across University of Nevada, Reno settings. On Nov. 8, 2021, Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S), part of Research & Innovation, hosted a webinar where University leaders and esteemed guest speakers discussed the importance of continually reinforcing a culture of safety.

“From our laboratories, classrooms and meeting spaces, to our performing arts venues, athletics venues and residence halls…it’s imperative that we support and strengthen a culture of safety,” said University President Brian Sandoval in opening remarks. “This starts with policies, procedures and resources, but a culture of safety is much more. It’s a culture where we are vigilant, where we value the opportunity to continually improve, where we value training and preparedness, where we look out for one another.”

Mark McLellan, University of North Texas vice president for research and innovation, and Craig Merlic, UCLA professor and executive director of the UC Center for Laboratory Safety, were guest speakers at the event. The program also included remarks from Environmental Health & Safety Associate Director Ben Owens and University Vice President for Research and Innovation Mridul Gautam.

How To Be a Strong Construction Site Manager

www.dixonpilot.com/2021/11/0…

Improve Safety Safety is one of the top points of how to be a strong construction site manager. You can’t effectively lead a crew if there are unsafe work conditions present. One way to avoid this issue is to implement safety training programs. By doing this, you avoid OSHA violations, keep your experience modifier ratio low, and develop safety-conscious employees—a must in construction. Improved safety not only makes for more effective teams but also ensures the well-being of every worker. The last thing any site manager wants to see is someone become injured or worse. Avoid these risks as much as possible with proper safety training plans in the workspace.

The evolution of safety

www.thesafetymag.com/ca/news/o…

Focusing on the future is an important part of all facets of the oil and gas industry. There are always new opportunities, new challenges and better ways of doing our work. We, as an industry, must stay committed to continuous improvement. One way to recognize the improvements we have made and the way we have evolved is to occasionally pause for self-reflection.

I have experience in many industries working for various employers, but the vast majority of my time has been in the oil and gas industry. I have worked in the field and have friends and family members who continue to do so. My experiences in the field and as an HSE professional drive my commitment to looking for ways to manage safety and refine the qualification process. My approach to safety is to develop processes and procedures to eliminate incidents, and to surround myself with colleagues in HSE, the field and in senior leadership positions who share the same goal. I am proud to be part of Michels Canada’s safety culture and of a team that, as of this writing, has completed more than 3 million exposure hours without a single loss-time incident.

When I reflect on my observations over the past decade, I recognize vast improvements and the ongoing need for continuous review and advancements. I hope that as you read this, you will review your own personal commitment to safety and identify ways for our industry as a whole to continue our journey to safety excellence.

FIRST Center, FDSOA receive $1.5M Fire Prevention & Safety grant

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PHILADELPHIA — The Center for Firefighter Injury Research & Safety Trends (FIRST Center) and the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) announced on Monday the receipt of a $1.5 million grant from FEMA’s Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) program. The funding will extend the scope of the Fire service Organizational Culture of Safety (FOCUS) survey, a fire service-specific safety culture assessment tool.

The FIRST Center said this collaboration is in response to FEMA’s national prevention priorities on firefighter safety projects “designed to measurably change firefighter behavior and decision-making,” adding that “safety culture is a robust predictor of occupational injuries and organizational outcomes such as burnout, job satisfaction, and engagement.”

The funding will extend the scope of the Fire service Organizational Culture of Safety (FOCUS) survey, a fire service-specific safety culture assessment tool. The funding will extend the scope of the Fire service Organizational Culture of Safety (FOCUS) survey, a fire service-specific safety culture assessment tool. (Photo/FIRST Center) The newest grant funding will extend the scope of FOCUS by allowing FIRST and FDSOA to partner with Workers’ Compensation Bureaus (WCBs) to explore models of scale-up and utility so that all U.S. states and territories will be served. The implementation of FOCUS by fire departments covered by each state’s WCB will evaluate the impact on injury and well-being claims as well as explore premium reductions for participants.

SHE Issues Neglected In Schools- Rari

news.thevoicebw.com/2021/11/s…

Botswana Federation of Public Private & Parastatal Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU) Secretary General, Tobokani Rari, says the local education sector environments remain volatile when it comes to issues of Safety Health & Environment.

According to Rari, schools remain the only industries that hold thousands of people at a go.

Speaking at the recent S.H.EMASTERS Schools Safety Summit Botswana, which was held under the theme, UNMUTE SCHOOL SAFETY; A SYSTEMATIC RISK APPROACH TOWARDS BUILDING A RESILIENT SAFETY CULTURE FOR ALL, Rari said the view of BOFEPUSU is that issues of Safety, Health and Environment have been greatly neglected in Schools in the country.

“It is only in the advent of Covid that the school health policies started to be developed. SHE officers got hired and deployed to schools albeit on temporary basis, COVID – 19 specific inspections got carried out. This pandemic caught Botswana off guard with respect to safety in schools and came up as a wake up call. However, teachers still use chalk and duster, which is deemed hazardous and do not have working spaces, with continuous standing and extremely uncomfortable chairs and desks,” he said.

Food Safety Culture Focus Group - West Charleston Library

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The University of Nevada Las Vegas and the Southern Nevada Health District have partnered together to better understand the culture of food safety in food establishments. This research study is designed to get anonymous feedback from the restaurant community and use it to create educational resources. If you are an adult who has worked in food and beverage, come share your experience working in restaurants, what you think helps build good food safety culture, and what leads to bad food safety culture in the kitchen. Focus groups will be offered in English, Spanish, and Mandarin. Pick your language and reserve your spot by CLICKING HERE.

IAEA concludes mission to assess Swiss nuclear safety

www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/…

The IRRS mission to Switzerland was conducted at the request of the Swiss government and hosted by the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI), the national regulatory body for safety and security of nuclear facilities.

During the 18-29 October mission, the 20-member team - comprised of 17 senior regulatory experts from 15 countries, as well as 3 IAEA staff members - reviewed facilities and activities regulated by ENSI. This included four operational power reactors, one operational research reactor and a national interim storage facility for radioactive waste.

Activities covered during the safety review included emergency preparedness and response, transport, decommissioning, occupational exposure control, environmental monitoring and public exposure, and the safety interface with nuclear security. The IRRS team also reviewed the licensing process and regulatory guidelines for the ongoing plans for constructing a deep geological waste repository. The mission also used the opportunity to exchange information on national regulatory implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The team identified good practices in the area of safety culture. ENSI continuously improves its internal safety culture and promotes the proactive safety culture of licensees through periodic focus groups. The team also noted: the role of ENSI in implementing the regulatory policy and associated requirements for continued safety improvements at nuclear power plants; the collaborative dialogue among all federal cantonal authorities involved in the licensing process of nuclear facilities; and the periodic security background tests for ENSI’s staff, including evaluation of a potential lack of impartiality.

Spearfish to host safety stand-down day

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As part of its focus on maintaining a safety culture, the city of Spearfish is hosting a Safety Stand-Down Day for its employees on Nov. 17, during which municipal offices will be closed.

“Safety is a priority for the city,” Tyler Ehnes, safety coordinator, said. “Our employees are our greatest asset, and we want to provide the training, tools, and culture to ensure their health, safety, and well-being.”

According to a news release, the Safety Stand-Down Day will include regional speakers providing workshops on a variety of safety topics to reinforce the importance of daily, safe operations and every employee’s participation in the city of Spearfish’s safety culture. The event is part of the overall safety program that applies to all personnel and resources employed by the city, as well as volunteers.

The program has been implemented using a six-pronged approach: safety training, safety inspections, safety committee, risk mitigation, accident/incident reporting, and safety rewards. The specifics of the program may be found on the city of Spearfish’s website.

Madison’s Vision Zero traffic safety plan making progress, city says

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MADISON, Wis. — Madison’s Vision Zero traffic safety program has another eight years to reach its goal of no traffic deaths by 2030, but so far the city said it’s already having an impact.

The city’s traffic engineer gave an update on the effort during Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway’s news conference on Thursday, saying the number of cars going more than 40 miles per hour within city limits dropped by 30% to 90% depending on the road and time of day.

City crews have also placed speed trailers on various streets and reduced speed limits on more than 24 miles of roads.

“We need to each play a role in resetting our safety culture here in Madison and being mindful of the other folks in our community and using our sidewalks, our streets, our bike paths when we go out and travel around,” Rhodes-Conway said.

The traffic division is close to finishing a comprehensive road safety plan.

AAA offers ‘fall back’ driving tips as Daylight Saving Time ends

www.recordherald.com/news/6922… With the end of daylight saving time this weekend, motorists will be presented with challenges that could impact pedestrian safety. AAA East Central recommends motorists prepare for potential problems associated with changes in sleep patterns, brighter morning commutes, and darker evening commutes.

“While the extra hour of sleep may feel nice on Sunday morning, the time change can lead to greater risks behind the wheel,” said Lori Cook, safety advisor, AAA East Central. “The time change can affect concentration, attention and decision making, so motorists should take extra precautions in the weeks ahead to avoid putting pedestrians in harm’s way.”

When combined with an earlier dusk, disturbed sleep patterns can become a formula for fatigue-related crashes. Researchers at Stanford University and Johns Hopkins University have found that the effects of the time change on motorists have been shown to last up to two weeks. Moreover, the National Sleep Foundation reports that sleep-deprived drivers cause more than 6,400 deaths and 50,000 debilitating injuries on American roadways each year.

The dangers of sleep deprivation are further highlighted by the latest AAA Traffic Safety Culture Index. Ninety-five percent of motorists view drowsy driving as very or extremely dangerous, but 17% admitted to driving when they were so tired that they had a hard time keeping their eyes open at least once in the previous 30 days before the survey (2020 Traffic Safety Culture Index)