SAFETY MEETING GUIDE



|[pic] |The American Waterways Operators |

| |Interregion Safety Committee |

TO: All Captains and Pilots

FROM: AWO Interregion Safety Committee

SUBJECT: Lesson Plan for Slip, Trip and Fall Prevention – Beyond the Basics

The attached lesson plan is on the topic of slip, trip and fall prevention, and it goes beyond the basics of what a fall is. Slips, trips and falls are the leading causes of occupational injuries in marine industries and can contribute to fall overboard incidents, the major cause of deckhand fatalities on the inland waterways system. The purpose of this lesson plan is to assist you in presenting and discussing detailed information about the causes of slips, trips and falls and how they may be prevented.

Please use the enclosed materials to conduct a vessel safety meeting in accordance with your company’s policy. If you have any questions, contact your company’s safety office.

Tim Sizemore

Chairman, AWO Interregion Safety Committee

Attachments

1) Safety Meeting Guide – Slip, Trip and Fall Prevention – Beyond the Basics

2) “Do You Remember?” and Answer Key

Lessons Learned

Lessons Learned Submission Form

Safety Meeting Follow-Up Form

SAFETY MEETING LESSON PLAN – INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONDUCTING SLIP, TRIP AND FALL PREVENTION –

BEYOND THE BASICS TRAINING

Step I: Preparation

• Make sure all the materials listed above are included in this package.

• Review all the material before conducting the meeting.

Step II: Presentation

• Gather the crew.

• Conduct the meeting (approximately 15 – 20 minutes).

Step III: Follow Up

• Ask crewmembers to share a “near miss” or lessons learned.

• Log the record of the meeting as per your company’s policy.

• At the end of the meeting, complete the Safety Meeting Follow-up Form and return it as per company policy.

• Retain the Lesson Plan information for future use and reference.

NOTE! PLEASE CONTACT YOUR COMPANY’S OPERATIONS OR SAFETY DEPARTMENT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS CONCERNING THIS LESSON PLAN.

Note! This lesson plan and all the material it contains should be considered suggestions and helpful hints to assist you in conducting your vessel safety meeting. You are encouraged to use your own words and experiences when presenting the material contained in this lesson plan.

SUGGESTIONS FOR CONDUCTING THE MEETING

I. Discuss the objectives of the lesson plan:

1. To review the basics of slip, trip and fall prevention.

2. To convey detailed information on safe work practices associated with preventing falls overboard.

3. To share and collect “lessons learned.”

II. Deliver the training. (The script is in bold italic.)

We in the maritime industry recognize that slips, trips and falls are a frequent cause of fall overboard incidents. In fact, the major cause of deckhand fatalities in the inland waterways system is fall overboard incidents. Many of these falls are a result of loss of balance due to overextension. Therefore, prevention of slips, trips and falls is essential to the safety of each and every one of us.

I’ll go over the basics of slip, trip and fall prevention and then we can get into more specific information on safe work practices we can use, like ways to prevent fall injuries.

Let’s quickly review the basics.

Do you remember how slipping is different from tripping? (Ask crewmembers.)

A slip is defined as when the feet skid out from beneath the lower body, leaving it behind.

A trip occurs when an obstacle “stops” the foot and lower body, while the upper body is carried forward.

What, then, is a fall? (Ask crewmembers.)

A fall is the result of an unrecoverable slip or trip.

One way to remember some important points about avoiding slips, trips and falls is the “G.A.P.S. Principle.” G.A.P.S. stands for:

Gait, Awareness, Physical Conditioning, and Shoe Wear.

Remember, gait just means walking. Any interference in your gait may cause injury.

The second letter in “G.A.P.S” stands for Awareness. Some worksite hazards to be aware of and take precautions against are:

1. Poor lighting and weather conditions.

2. Hatch covers.

3. The notch or outboard edge.

4. The “bump.”

5. Walking and working surfaces that are not clean, dry and unobstructed.

6. Debris.

The “P” in “G.A.P.S.” stands for Physical Conditioning. Good physical conditioning will help prevent falls by increasing flexibility, balance and strength in the leg and foot muscles. Practice correct posture by keeping your head erect and shoulders back. Maintain your weight through a program of regular exercise and healthy eating.

The last letter stands for Shoes (foot wear). Shoes/foot wear play a significant role in the prevention of slips, trips and falls. Foot wear protects and supports the foot. Choose quality foot wear that is appropriate for the task at hand. On the job, keep foot wear clean of mud, snow, ice, spilled liquids or other debris.

If you think about it, “G.A.P.S.” can help us remember these basics.

Don’t forget, good housekeeping is the foundation of fall prevention.

Now we can go “beyond the basics.”

Falls come in two types: elevated falls and same-level falls. Same-level falls are most frequent, but elevated falls are more severe. Same-level falls are generally slips or trips. Over 60 percent of elevated falls are from less than 10 feet.

Let’s go over the same-level falls first.

• The first is slip and fall. Slips are usually caused by a slippery surface and compounded by wearing the wrong shoes. In normal walking, two types of slips can occur. The first happens when the heel of the forward foot contacts the walking surface. Then, the front foot slips forward and the person falls backward.

• The second happens when the rear foot slips backward. As the rear heel is lifted and the force moves forward to the front of the sole, the foot slips back and the person falls.

• The force what allows you to walk without slipping is called “traction.” Dry concrete sidewalks have good traction, while icy surfaces or freshly waxed floors can have low traction. A rubber heel on a brushed concrete surface has more than a 100 times more traction than a leather sole on a wet, smooth surface.

• Another kind of same-level fall is a trip and fall. Trips happen when the front foot strikes an object and is suddenly stopped. The upper body is thrown forward and a fall occurs. As little as a 3/8-inch rise in a walkway can cause a person to “stub” his toe, resulting in a trip and fall.

We all know that in our workplace, there are many objects to “stub our toes” on. Can you give me some? (Ask crewmembers.)

Some examples are:

• Rigging

• Deck fittings

• Hatches

• Twisted/kinked wires

• The third kind of same-level fall is a step and fall. This happens when the front foot lands on a surface that is lower than expected. In this type of fall, the person normally falls forward.

Elevated falls are the other type of fall. Examples of these are falls from stairs, falls from equipment and falls from ladders.

Let’s finish up with some tips about fall prevention.

Practice the “Three-Point System.” This means that three of your four limbs are in contact with the ladder or equipment at all times, either one hand and two feet or two hands and one foot – only one limb is in motion at any one time.

Balance is key. There are many tasks, such as checking sounders, checking lights, and wiring rigging, which can lead to overextension. Overextension is going beyond the body’s limitations. Maintaining your balance can avoid overextension.

As a last resort, we can learn how to fall. Naturally, the goal is not to slip, trip and fall, but there are better ways to fall than others. The recommendations are:

• Tuck your chin in, turn your head and throw an arm up. It is better to land on your arm than on your head.

• While falling, twist or roll your body to the side. It is better to land on your buttocks and side than on your back.

• Keep your wrists, elbows and knees bent. Do not try to break the fall with your hands or elbows. When falling, the objective is to have as much of your body contact the surface as possible, to spread out the impact of the fall.

Here’s a quick review of what we covered.

The basics of fall prevention are Gait, Awareness, Physical condition and Shoes/foot wear, or G.A.P.S.

There are two types of falls: same-level and elevated.

While the goal is not to fall, there are tips we can remember to reduce injuries that may occur as a result of a fall.

Remember, a job safety briefing/gameplan on even the most routine of tasks can help us focus on the potential hazards of any job we start.

Let’s try to remember these precautions in our work every day.

III. Hold a discussion/share “lessons learned.”

• Encourage an open discussion of this subject between crewmembers, asking them if they think they understand the information contained in this lesson.

• Relate any of your experiences.

(Script) When was the last time you slipped or tripped? (If no crewmember offers an example, give one yourself or continue to “lessons learned.”)

(Hand out the “lessons learned.” Have crewmembers take turns reading them out loud. Ask crewmembers how each of these incidents could have been avoided.)

(Hand out the “lesson learned” submission forms and ask crewmembers to share their experiences for future lesson plans.)

IV. Hand out “Do You Remember?”

1. Crewmembers should be instructed to take approximately five minutes to answer the questions.

V. Go over the questions and answers.

1. Ensure that all exercises are completed and that all correct answers are reviewed with the crew.

VI. Review the objectives of this safety meeting:

1. To review the basics of slip, trip and fall prevention.

2. To convey detailed information on safe work practices associated with preventing falls overboard.

3. To share and collect “lessons learned.”

VII. Fill out the safety meeting follow-up form.

DO YOU REMEMBER?

SLIP, TRIP AND FALL PREVENTION

1. Same-level falls are most frequent, but elevated falls are more severe.

(Circle one.)

a. TRUE b. FALSE

2. Conducting a job safety briefing/gameplan before starting a task can help identify slip, trip and fall hazards.

(Circle one.)

a. TRUE b. FALSE

3. Four elements of fall prevention are gait, awareness, physical condition and shoes.

(Circle one.)

a. TRUE b. FALSE

4. Maintaining your balance can avoid overextension.

(Circle one.)

a. TRUE b. FALSE

5. Sloppy housekeeping is the foundation of fall prevention.

(Circle one.)

a. TRUE b. FALSE

Employee Name: ________________________________

Vessel Name: __________________________________

Date: ______________________________

NOTE: All incorrect answers are to be corrected in ink and initialed by employee.

DO YOU REMEMBER?

SLIP, TRIP AND FALL PREVENTION

ANSWER KEY

1. Same-level falls are most frequent, but elevated falls are more severe.

(Circle one.)

a. TRUE b. FALSE

2. Conducting a job safety briefing/gameplan before starting a task can help identify slip, trip and fall hazards.

(Circle one.)

a. TRUE b. FALSE

3. Four elements of fall prevention are gait, awareness, physical condition and shoes.

(Circle one.)

a. TRUE b. FALSE

4. Maintaining your balance can avoid overextension.

(Circle one.)

a. TRUE b. FALSE

5. Sloppy housekeeping is the foundation of fall prevention.

(Circle one.)

a. TRUE b. FALSE

Employee Name: ________________________________

Vessel Name: __________________________________

Date: ______________________________

NOTE: All incorrect answers are to be corrected in ink and initialed by employee.

LESSON LEARNED SUBMISSION FORM

Do you have a lesson learned to share as part of a future lesson plan? You can use this sheet or submit this information in a similar format.

Type of incident:

Date:

Time:

Weather Conditions:

Location/Milemarker:

Tow make-up:

Explanation of incident:

Please give this form to your operations or safety department. It will be passed on to the AWO Interregion Safety Committee for its “lessons learned” library. Thank you for your contribution to making our industry safer.

SAFETY MEETING FOLLOW-UP FORM

MEETING TOPIC: Slip, Trip and Fall Prevention- Beyond the Basics

FACILITY/VESSEL ______________________________________________________

DATE OF MEETING: MONTH: _____________ DAY: ___________ YEAR: _______

TIME STARTED: ________________ TIME ENDED: _______________

MATERIAL LISTED ON COVER PAGE RECEIVED? YES _____ NO _____

SAFETY MEETING INFORMATION:

1. WAS THE MEETING TOPIC TIMELY/HELPFUL? YES _____ NO _____

2. DID THE CREW PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING? YES _____ NO _____

3. INFORMATION FOR THE MEETING WAS FACTUAL? YES _____ NO _____

4. DID YOU MAKE AN ENTRY IN INK IN THE VESSEL LOG DESCRIBING

DATE, TIME AND TOPIC OF MEETING? YES _____ NO _____

5. ANY COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS CONCERNING THE MEETING: _____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

6. WHAT TOPIC/TOPICS WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS IN FUTURE MEETINGS?

______________________________________________________________________

EVERYONE ATTENDING THE MEETING MUST SIGN BELOW:

______________________________ ______________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

MEETING CONDUCTED BY: ___________________________________

DATE: ______________________________

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