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Distracted Driving and Road Rage

by | Aug 27, 2021 | Safety | 0 comments

The Dangers of Distracted Driving

Written by Peggy Drescher

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stats show that while Americans drove less in 2020 due to the pandemic, there were still an estimated 6 million accidents and 38,680 deaths.  The main behavioral causes were impaired driving, speeding and failure to wear a seat belt.  Two causes on the rise were distracted driving (accounting for over 3,000 deaths last year) and road rage. We’re going to dig into these two causes in this article. 

Distracted driving is any activity that diverts your attention from driving. This includes talking, texting, eating and drinking, using phone, changing the stereo, etc.  How many people have you seen blow through red lights?  Chances are they were distracted by something causing them to miss the red light. –PRO DRIVING TIP – if you are first in line at a red light, when it changes to green DO NOT proceed through the intersection for 3-5 seconds and look both ways before you do.

Did you know that texting will take your eyes off the road for at least 5 seconds?  This amounts to driving the length of a football field at 55 MPH with your eyes closed!  Drivers using cell phones are four times as likely to be in a crash and about 1 of every 4 motor vehicle crashes involve cell phone use.  Those that are texting are 8-23 times more likely to cause a crash.

If you haven’t had a safety topic on Distracted Driving, now is the time to do so. During your meeting, discuss your company’s stance on cell phone usage while operating a company vehicle, because if an accident occurs on the job, it not only affects your business but also your employees and their families. 

Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels states:

“OSHA’s message to all companies whose employees drive on the job is straightforward: It is your responsibility and legal obligation to have a clear, unequivocal and enforced policy against texting while driving.”

In addition, nearly every state has passed some sort of statewide law against distracted driving. There are plenty of resources that have sample cell phone usage policies, however, one that you could use as a reference is from the NSC.org inside of their Safe Driving kit.  

Now, to discuss road rage or just plain erratic drivers.  Road rage includes lane weaving, running red lights, speeding, tailgating, making obscene hand gestures, yelling verbal insults and even inflicting physical harm.  

I’m sure everyone has seen this before or perhaps even participated in any of these – have you ever been driving behind someone going 70 MPH and have them intentionally drop a piece of metal out of their window?  I have – and I am lucky it hit the bottom of my car but the sound was like a bomb went off.  What came out of my mouth was not very peaceful.  Besides it making me nervous to continue the 2-hour drive I still had to accomplish, I had bad thoughts about the driver for quite a while.  

If road rage happens to one of your crew during the work day what do you think that does to their performance?  I suggest having a safety discussion and ask your employees if they have any examples, I bet you’ll get some interesting stories to discuss.  

Here are a few ways to combat the urge to participate in road rage: 

  • Provide your crew with the resources to get the job done correctly before they leave the shop so they are not stressed about the work for the day.
  • Teach breathing techniques to use in difficult situations.  They truly do work!
  • Have all employees go through a defensive driving course once per year.
  • Investigate apps for cell phone blocking technology and safe driving

In addition, if you need help with incorporating driver safety into your safety program, reach out to an ArboRisk team member to enroll in our Thrive Safety Package and begin working one-on-one with our industry experts.  

Listed below are a few other links that have great resources for safe driving topics, free posters and even surveys that your employees can take to score their driving. If you need help with developing a safety topic on this subject, I would be happy to help.  Stay safe out there!

http://nsc.org

http://www.osha.gov

https://www.nhtsa.gov

GHSA State Laws – Distracted Driving

Traffic Safety Huddles

Road Rage Sheet

Improving Safety with Leading Indicators

by | Aug 26, 2021 | Safety | 0 comments

Improving Safety with Leading Indicators

Written by Eric Petersen, CIC

One of my favorite things about the tree care industry is interacting with passionate people from all across the globe who are trying to help get every arborist home safe each night. Sometimes conversations spark waves of momentum and begin to force change within the industry. I feel we are at the beginning of a new wave of momentum within the tree care industry when looking at how to prevent injuries. That new wave is being caused by using leading indicators to improve safety. 

While the concept of leading indicators is not new, it hasn’t been until recent years that I’ve heard people start to talk about them at tree care events. OSHA defines Leading indicators as “proactive, preventive, and predictive measures that provide information about the effective performance of your safety and health activities.” They are metrics that can be recorded and tracked prior to an accident happening. 

Just like a doctor will analyze your blood sample for irregularities to catch a future illness or disease before it negatively affects you and a quality control chemist will ensure the molecular compound of their product is just right, your safety committee can analyze certain metrics within your company to highlight future safety concerns, thereby giving you time to address that concern before an accident happens. 

In a recent TCIA Magazine article (Leading and Lagging Indicators), Bill Owen states, 

“Understanding leading indicators and incorporating them into a safety program balances a program and improves overall results by focusing on the behavior that leads to successful outcomes.”

Put another way – behavior first, results second. Building a safety culture around the proper behaviors will give you a better result. And the better result we are all looking for is to reduce or eliminate the severe injuries that continue to plague this industry. 

Common examples of leading indicators are: Safety meetings, Jobsite safety audits, individual and group training events, Jobsite Hazard Analysis, driving tests, Motor Vehicle Record checks, equipment inspections, etc.

When identifying what leading indicators you want to measure within your company, make sure they are specific enough to be easily tracked. A simple Excel spreadsheet can do the trick. Click here to download a free copy of our Leading & Lagging Indicator Dashboard, which was modified from Bill Owen’s example within the aforementioned TCIA Magazine article “Leading and Lagging Indicators.”

At your next Safety Committee meeting, have a discussion around what behaviors (leading indicators) your company can track to begin to highlight where future problems may arise. Create a goal for each of those behaviors and start to measure how your team is doing against the goal. When getting started looking at leading indicators remember, it’s okay if you adjust the metrics you’re using over time as the concept is a bit different than looking at lagging indicators (or using past incident data). The key is to shift your focus onto the behavioral metrics that ultimately help prevent injuries and accidents from happening. 

For more information from OSHA visit their webpage dedicated to Leading Indicators here.

Since ArboRisk’s mission is to get every arborist home safe each night, we’ve designed a specific consulting package to work one-on-one with your organization. Visit our webpage for the Thrive Safety Package to learn more. In addition to the Thrive Safety Package, all ArboRisk clients receive a Safety Culture Assessment that allows you to peer into your safety culture and find areas that need improvement.

4 Vehicle Related Safety Meeting Ideas

by | Jun 28, 2021 | Safety | 0 comments

4 Vehicle Related Safety Meeting Ideas

At ArboRisk, we have been tracking the injuries, accidents and claims our clients have sustained over the last number of years. While reviewing the data, we have found that 39% of all claims were from vehicle accidents!

Unfortunately, that number doesn’t surprise me, as I feel that many tree care companies do not spend much time during their safety meetings talking about driving habits/skills or hazards they face on the road each day. Instead they assume everyone is a good driver and understands the over-the-road exposures all too well that they spend time on other safety topics.

This article is meant to give you 4 simple vehicle related safety meeting ideas that can make talking about your over-the-road exposures not only come to life, but also fun in the process.

Distracted Driving – Ask for a volunteer from your team. Have them sit down in a chair like they were behind the wheel. Send them a text and ask them to respond to you one-handed as if they were driving. When they look down at their phone, toss a soft ball at them and see what their reaction is. Some will catch the ball, others won’t, some may drop their phone, but pay attention to their reaction and open up discussion on distracted driving using this simple exercise.

Backing Up Contest – Everyone thinks they are the best at backing up a truck and trailer, so create a little competition for your team to safely prove it. Set up a small course in your yard or nearby parking lot with cones. Break up into crews of 2 (one driver and one spotter). Select a vehicle to use with a trailer or towed piece of equipment. Create a point system to score the contestants. Give out a small prize to the winning team after discussing what everyone witnessed within the contest.

Pre-Trip Inspection – As you know, your drivers should be performing pre-trip inspection before taking any vehicles out on the road. Unfortunately, this process can become repetitive leading to complacency during the inspection. Highlight the importance of the pre-trip by performing an entire pre-trip inspection with your team on one of your trucks. After going through it with everyone, assign teams to complete a pre-trip together. Discuss with the entire group on what their team found. It may be shocking to hear how members of your team perform the pre-trip differently from others.

Jobsite Setup on Road – Does your team know how to properly set up the jobsite when working on/near a street? Create space in your yard or on the street outside of your shop to set up a jobsite/work zone during the safety meeting. Ask for volunteers from your team to set up the cones and signs at the proper distance. After they have placed them, coach them through any corrections. Discuss what other factors they need to be aware of while working on the street, including traffic control, hi-viz vests, chip truck and loading zone placement, etc.

Just think how better off your company would be if you had 40% less insurance claims. Use these 4 very simple safety meeting ideas to put an emphasis on vehicle safety.

If you need help with your Safety Culture or Driver and Fleet Safety program, contact an ArboRisk team member today.

Written by: Eric Petsersen

Electrical Hazards Awareness

by | Mar 29, 2021 | Safety | 0 comments

Electrical Hazards Awareness

One of the best characteristics about a tree care professional is how they get excited to talk about and work on trees. Unfortunately, many times that excitement and desire to do tree work brings arborists in close proximity to electrical wires. 

Make no mistake, electricity is a serious and widespread hazard to arborists every day. Even a simple telephone line can be energized with enough voltage to kill. Because of our exposure to electrical hazards, ANSI Z133 states that “The employer shall train each employee….” on the topic.  (4.1.2 – 4.1.4(f)).

Training your team on the following tips is a great start to preventing electrical accidents within your company. However, we strongly recommend that you engage in a full electrical hazard training with every member of your field team at least once per year. 

Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) and Job Briefing – Properly setting up and inspecting the jobsite and surrounding area is the first step in preventing an electrical accident. Formally, this is done when performing a Job Hazard Analysis and again during the Job Briefing before work begins. When you arrive at the job site, be sure everyone on your team checks for electrical wires and guy wires. If it is after a storm, look for electrical lines mixed up with a fallen tree or lines down on the property. When planning and performing your work, you must follow the Minimum Approach Distance (MAD) chart for working near the electrical lines. The MAD charts can be found in the ANSI Z133, section 4.

Work Positioning – When working in the tree or bucket in close proximity to electrical wires, the arborist should always face the electrical lines. Ground workers must also set up the jobsite to avoid any guy wires. Simply place cones to create a visual barrier so a team member does not trip over or walk into a guy wire. REMEMBER THAT LESS THAN ONE AMP CAN KILL A PERSON, so no matter what wire (house service wire, cable and telephone lines, secondary and primary wires) runs through the jobsite, all workers must respect that wire. Being aware of work positioning when working near electrical lines will help prevent:

Contact – Obviously, avoiding direct contact with wires is paramount, but indirect contact can be just as dangerous. Indirect contact occurs when something the arborist touches is energized:  for example, a branch that is contacting an energized wire or other object. Every arborist must ALWAYS KEEP THE WIRE IN FRONT OF THEM to avoid direct or indirect contact with a wire. 

Arcing – Arcing or arc flashing is discharge of electricity caused when wires from different phases are touching or an electrical explosion happens due to a fault in the system. Proper distancing from electrical wires will reduce the risk of injury or death due to arcing.

Step Potential – Step potential is another monster when talking about electricity. Step potential is a voltage difference between the worker’s feet and the electrical grounding object. It can occur when the bucket or truck comes in contact with an electrical wire, thereby changing the electrical path and making a very dangerous situation for the ground worker. Because of this, each crew member must remember to NEVER TOUCH THE BUCKET TRUCK WHILE IN OPERATION NEAR ELECTRICAL LINES, EVEN TO GET A TOOL OUT. Step potential can also occur near guy wires, which is why all guy wires should be discussed during the job briefing and marked when the jobsite is being set up. 

Equipment & Vehicles – Every crew member must also recognize that equipment like gaffs, spurs, or chainsaws can be conductive. Some equipment is labeled “non-conductive” however this does not mean it is electricity safe. Ropes, wooden/fiberglass ladders, fiberglass or wooden pole pruners, and hydraulic saws all are listed as non-conductive.  However, they can become conductive if they are dirty or wet, making proper gear inspection vital. For a more detailed article on gear inspection check out this one. Bucket trucks should be dielectrically tested at least once a year; however, that is the minimum. We recommend getting them tested at least twice a year.

Wind – Wind is always a factor while performing tree work, but it is even more important when working near electrical wires. To avoid potential contact or arcing, consideration must be given to how a cut branch or a rope will react with the wind.  

Get energized by your work, not electricity!  For additional resources on how to institute an electrical hazard training program within your company, reach out to an ArboRisk team member today.

Written by: Dawn Thierbach

and Margaret Hebert

Five Tips for Safety Meetings

by | Mar 22, 2021 | Safety | 0 comments

FIVE TIPS FOR SAFETY MEETINGS

Blank stares? Crickets chirping?  Is that a couple of the things you experience in your safety meetings?  It’s tough – not only coming up with topics, but also delivering those topics in an interesting, engaging way.  Below are five tips to help keep your safety meetings topical and interesting.

1 – Have the meetings outside when possible.  We didn’t get into this industry because we like sitting behind a table staring at a screen.  We’re the outdoor, fresh air, active types.  This also allows you to more easily incorporate tip 2…

2 – Practice what you teach.  Don’t just talk about safety; practice it hands on with your crews participating.  If you’re talking about chainsaw safety, start one up and demonstrate using it properly.  Want to discuss traffic protection, have your team plan it and set it up.  Always practice with the items in your first aid kits.  As I’ve stated in a previous weekly tip, the middle of an emergency is no time to learn how to use a tourniquet or Israeli bandage.   And remember, practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.  

3 – Change it up.   Following the same format meeting after meeting even SOUNDS boring.  Using published safety meeting materials is convenient; but using them every single meeting can result in your team losing interest or even dreading the meeting.  Alternate between published materials, hands-on training, team participation, different speakers, and even guest speakers.

4 – Don’t forget these topics.  

  • Driver safety – one of the largest exposures to risk within your tree care company comes from your vehicles on the road.  In fact, 38% of the insurance claims we see at ArboRisk are vehicle related.  
  • First Aid – Your First Aid/CPR training certificate is good for two years, but it’s a great idea to stay fresh on the various topics and to practice applying splints, tourniquets, compression bandages, etc.  
  • Identifying hazardous conditions in trees – It’s a good idea to have all crew members capable of recognizing the signs in trees that indicate potential hazards.
  • Hazardous materials safety – you can cover several topics from fuel to chemicals to PPE.

5 – Get CEUs.  Even if it’s only 15 minutes of training, CEU credits, especially with regular and frequent safety meetings, add up quickly.  Remind your credentialed team members that they earn CEUs with both ISA and TCIA for their safety training. CTSPs can get their credits for developing the training and instructing it, as well.

Finally, don’t forget to document all safety meetings with the topic, date, duration, presenter(s), and the names of those in attendance. This is extremely important in case you are ever inspected by OSHA.  It will also be needed when individuals apply for their CEU credits.

Hopefully, the above tips give you some reminders (or even some new ideas) for keeping your safety meetings topical and interesting.  These meetings are a crucial part of team building, developing and maintaining your culture of safety, and helping your tree care company become extraordinary!

Since ArboRisk’s mission is to get every arborist home safe each night, we’ve designed a specific consulting package to work one-on-one with your organization. Visit our webpage for the Thrive Safety Package to learn more. In addition to the Thrive Safety Package, all ArboRisk clients receive a Safety Culture Assessment that allows you to peer into your safety culture and find areas that need improvement.

Written by: Margaret Hebert

Chainsaw Safety

by | Mar 8, 2021 | Safety | 1 comment

Chainsaw Safety

As an arborist, you quickly found out that operating a chainsaw is a prerequisite for the job. That being said, the actual prerequisite is SAFELY operating a chainsaw. Keep in mind that most of our chainsaw injuries result in 110 stitches or more! Listed below are a few guidelines that you may have forgotten or you may not know.

Never walk around the job site with a chainsaw running, use the chain brake when taking one to three steps. If you have to walk farther, turn it off and carry the saw by the handle with the bar pointing backwards.

When in a tree with a chainsaw always use two hands. Most injuries in this situation are to the left hand, and in 97% percent of the accidents, the operator was using the saw with one hand. If you are down on the ground, use the saw that requires two hands; do not use your top handled saw. Make sure you are secure in your footing while operating that chainsaw – two feet, planted securely on the ground. If you are in the tree, make sure you are tied in and use a second means of attachment such as a lanyard, to keep yourself steady. Whether in the tree or on the ground, make sure the chain brake is engaged and do not drop start the saw. Brace it on a limb in a tree, or, when on the ground, put the saw down and use your foot on the handle.

Make sure you are secure in your footing while operating that chainsaw – two feet, planted securely on the ground. If you are in the tree, make sure you are tied in and use a second means of attachment such as a lanyard, to keep yourself steady. Whether in the tree or on the ground, make sure the chain brake is engaged and do not drop start the saw. Brace it on a limb in a tree, or, when on the ground, put the saw down and use your foot on the handle.

Always make sure your thumbs are secured, tucked in, or wrapped around the handles when using a chainsaw. Always be aware in what position you are running the chainsaw so as to avoid kickback. Never operate a chainsaw over shoulder height. Also, if you have long hair, make sure it is tied back.
When you are ready to start chainsaw operations, notify your crew. If they need to get your attention, they should either wait until you are finished or walk in front of you about 5 feet away and signal that you need to stop. Tell your crew to never tap you from behind when you are operating a chainsaw.
Spread out a small tarp to set up a fueling station on the grass or out of the way of pedestrians and cars. Never refuel on the sidewalk or the roadway.

Always wear safety glasses, hardhat (with or without a face shield is acceptable), and ear plugs. Repetitive use of a chainsaw running at 85 or more decibels WILL harm your hearing ability. Besides the other PPE that you must wear, wear you chaps, and remember that the groin area is not protected with chaps.

Because our industry works with dangerous motorized equipment, carry a trauma kit for the injuries. Climbers should carry a tourniquet up in the tree and one ground person should carry a tourniquet. This might seem like overdoing it, but, as I stated above, most of our chainsaw injuries result in 110 stitches or more. Everyone should learn how to apply a tourniquet and also practice one-handed for applying a tourniquet. Climbers are all alone in the tree and a tourniquet just may save their life.

For an in-depth look at chainsaw safety, sign up for our webinar on March 19 from Noon – 4pm Central time. Earn 4 ISA and CTSP CEUs by attending. Learn more at StreamsideGreen.com.
As always, stay safe out there, enjoy your industry, and go home healthy to your family!

Written by: Dawn Thierbach

& Margaret Hebert