F is for “Failsafe”
The most obvious examples of “failsafe” are car seatbelts and airbags,
safety glasses, hard shoe boots and construction helmets
and safety guards and emergency off switches on table saws. They
are items designed in anticipation of a momentary loss of perfect
safety to avoid risk of injury. Because construction sites change,
an analysis of “failsafe” systems is anew each time to some degree.
I was lucky to attend a foreman’s meeting one time after the
OSHA in my state came out with new “Barton choker” rules on pile
lofting. I did not know much, but I listened as the company safety
leadership and foremen kicked around ideas to be efficient, safe
and compliant with the new rules. That was a “failsafe” meeting.
In another instance, to reduce improvision on the job site, all
critical lifts and a critical lift plan was developed for each job,
with no discretion to deviate absent emergency or office approval.
This may curry favor with a GC’s or owner’s on-site rep to move
the boom or crane – “It will only take five minutes;” “It’s just two
percent out of chart”, etc. – and, hopefully, it doesn’t spell disaster.
A load chart is a failsafe device, as are maintenance and maintenance
records, having medical information and emergency contacts
handy, and so on.
Essentially, this is akin to what U.S. Navy Seals do when they
plan a mission. They plan out “failure” or “partial failure” scenarios
and build in contingency plans, resources and responses if they
occur, the most famous being when, during the raid on Osama
Bin Laden, one of the two stealth helicopters crashed. The general
had planned for that and calmy announced, “We are amending the
plan.” It was executed, and the team returned safe all in one chopper,
and the Air Force sent a missile to destroy the fallen helicopter.
“What if ” scenarios need to be worked through.
E is for “Energy”
It goes without saying, but folks are less attentive and more at risk
of injury when tired. This is related to “distracted.” Therefore, water,
eyeball checks for mental clarity, testing, meal and rest breaks,
being in shape and calm blood flow are important. There is a kinesiology
to working, whether hammering a nail, climbing a gantry,
welding a splice or jackhammering a pile cut-off. There is not much
attention or research here, beyond the intuitive and obvious – folks
not paying attention while sailing get hit in the head by the boom,
etc. This energy issue is common the day before or after a big weekend
holiday – crew distracted, long to-do lists underway for the
family getaway, family tapping their feet, trying to miss the Friday
night traffic. Accidents are more frequent those days.
Gauge energy levels of crew, like an infantry commander gauges
troop rotation. Energy rebounds when rest is needed due to
intense events; coupled of course with the efficiency value of “used
to the risk.”
“Energy management” is something I read about in a great
book, The Power of Full Engagement, which posits that human
beings “pulse” like sprinters and weightlifters and need both the
“stress test” of increased challenges for engagement and growth,
and rebound time to recover. As summarized, “The key supportive
mental muscles include mental preparation, visualization, positive
self-talk, effective time management and creativity.” In some countries,
“energy” is created at the beginning of the work or school day
by team calisthenics, like a football team here runs easily to warm
up at the start of practice. This is not part of U.S. work approaches
and runs into all sorts of other HR issues, but safety training and
practice should include active planning for exercising mental
muscles as a safety tool.
I guess this might sound a bit “preachy.” My point is whether it’s
Patton, Washington, Bill Walsh or Bill Gates, a company’s leadership
is in charge of people in their work efforts for the company.
The company has the ability to define, shape, emphasize and hone
that – and should, rather than it being taken as if a given. Get safety
“off the page” and as a dynamic, a practice and value set.
T is for “Time”
Not to be too Einsteinian about it, but the related concepts of
“time, space, and energy” are not just about E=MC2. If that equation
explains the universe, well, it cuts to the quick on safety, too.
“Time” being more time equals more safety, due to the chance to
plan more, think more, double check, go over the checklist and
execute without being rushed – being alert but not distracted.
I’ll add that “too slow” is not necessarily more safe. Some speed
and repetition enhance energy and focus eliminates distraction.
More often than not, accidents occur when the team, operator
or others were rushing and taking shortcuts. I often say, as part of
“failsafe” modern safety thinking, redundancies are built into our
work and other procedures to allow some “fudge factor,” like four
corners on a box. You can cut one corner, or maybe two – not look
both ways, not hold hands across the crosswalk – but if the oncoming
driver is talking on his phone and eating while driving, its no
longer a box. All those folks in that accident scenario were cutting
corners, but usually, for reasons of time. Not up early enough, forgot
to shop last night, calling to say “Gunna be late,” etc. On jobs,
the last day, or the delayed first day invite this sort of “rush to catch
up” thinking that is invariably a mistake.
QA/QC – SAFETY
There is a kinesiology
to working, whether
hammering a nail,
climbing a gantry,
welding a splice or
jackhammering a
pile cut-off. There is
not much attention
or research here,
beyond the intuitive
and obvious.
102 | ISSUE 3 2021 www.piledrivers.org
/www.piledrivers.org
