Accident Prevention
Content
Industrial and Commercial Training
Emerald Article: ACCIDENT PREVENTION: The supervisor's role BILL WALSH
Article information:
To cite this document: BILL WALSH, 1973"ACCIDENT PREVENTION: The supervisor's role", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 5 Iss: 7 pp. 341 - 344 Permanent link to this document: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/eb003331 Downloaded on: 31-07-2012 To copy this document: [email protected] This document has been downloaded 368 times since 2008. *
Users who downloaded this Article also downloaded: *
JOHN WELLENS, 1973"OPERATION VULCAN: 13 exploring the experience factor", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 5 Iss: 7 pp. 327 - 332 http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/eb003327 J STEWART, 1973"Dealing with shopfloor pilfering", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 5 Iss: 7 pp. 339 - 340 http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/eb003330 1973"Simulators for Skill", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 5 Iss: 12 pp. 583 - 585 http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/eb003362
Access to this document was granted through an Emerald subscription provided by JONKOPING UNIVERSITY LIBRARY For Authors: If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service. Information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.com With over forty years' experience, Emerald Group Publishing is a leading independent publisher of global research with impact in business, society, public policy and education. In total, Emerald publishes over 275 journals and more than 130 book series, as well as an extensive range of online products and services. Emerald is both COUNTER 3 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation.
*Related content and download information correct at time of download.
ACCIDENT PREVENTION
thesupervisor'srole
by BILL WALSH
Too often under-rated, too often neglected concern for people and too often forgotten until there is a FEW DAYS PASS WITHOUT SOME REPORT OF THE SUPERHUMAN serious accident, is the job of the supervisor endeavours m a d e to rescue people in trouble. Without thought for their personal safety, men take serious risks to to ensure that his operatives have a safe aid others in difficulty. W h y do they do this? Is it not just place of work and work in a safe fashion. a h u m a n and natural reaction to do so? Of course it is. So, If we look at the situation sensibly there it follows that the same concern for others as people can be are four very important motivators to a powerful persuasion to supervisors to think safety. W h e n supervisors realise the utter impossibility of replacing safety at work which can — if he becomes h u m a n life, of restoring severed limbs or of renovating aware of them - prompt the supervisor to impaired facilities, it dawns upon them why accident prevenset an example which his operatives will tion is so important a part of their j o b . Once it is rooted in follow. They are, in order of priority: the supervisors' minds it colours their thinking, planning, training and practice. T h e automatic recollection of what concern for people, concern for production, pain a n d anxiety means not only to the accident victim the law, social costs. b u t also to his family, friends a n d relatives, prompts the
supervisor to secure and maintain a safe place of work.
production
Ask a n y supervisor to describe his duties in the priorities they should be accorded and, rightly, most of them will p u t production as n u m b e r one. All accidents have some effect on production. Examples are not needed to show what it must do to production when the working team is deprived of a member difficult to replace — or when maintenance is not carried out to schedule, machines are halted, or there is no driver to get the goods away nor storeman to order the materials. Serious accidents raise serious rescheduling and reorganisation problems. Even if replacement men with the right skills arc available, inevitably they have to be bedded in and m a d e part of the group. T h e dislocation of production extends not just for a few hours b u t for days. Non serious accidents total about 10 000 per day. 'Only' small things (unless one is the sufferer) — a sprain or strain, bruise or cut, burn or abrasion. Each one devours production time. T h e injured employee must receive first aid attention. T h a t m a y be small in itself but after that the injury has its effects on his dexterity or mobility, the plaster or bandage gets in his way. T h e r e is a slowing down of production. This costs money and the eternal problem of the supervisor — of how to reach the production target - balloons to frustrating proportions. When good men are lost to the work group or slowed down, inevitably the associated problem of getting the j o b done at the right cost also crowds on to the supervisor's back. If, unusually, he is too cynical to care for people, perhaps
341
the supervisor's role in accident prevention
concern for production and for costs is a spur to the supervisor's thinking on accident prevention.
the law
Most supervisors come u p through the ranks. T h e y hear on their way u p of the compensation cases; they learn that besides the factory rules there are legal requirements that must be observed; sooner or later they read the contents of the abstract from the Factories Act which firms must display. So they know, in a n imprecise way, that the law is involved in accident prevention. Perhaps not often enough they are told, on becoming a supervisor, that as part of their j o b they now have greater responsibilities in this sphere. So they have, for common law (which is founded on immemorial custom, practice and habit) demands that employers . . . 'take reasonable care of those they employ'. W h a t is 'reasonable' is a matter of fact. A great n u m b e r of jobs involve some element of risk which cannot be removed, but the jobs must be done. As the on-the-spot manager, the supervisor has the responsibility for ensuring that hazards are reduced to the smallest proportion. If a m a n uses too short a ladder for a j o b the supervisor must stop him and make him find one more suitable. T h e r e is a n element of risk in all ladder work. T h e supervisor cannot remove it, but he can and must prevent men from taking unnecessary risks. T h e common law is buttressed by stricter a n d more clearly defined statutes. There are a number of these plus statutory regulations made by Ministers of the Crown under the authority of various Acts which state fairly precisely what must be done or must not be done in certain circumstances. Breach of these regulations is a criminal offence a n d both operatives and supervisors can be fined for failure to follow what the law prescribes. So, if concern for people and concern for production do not motivate the supervisor to safety mindedness, then he must still pursue accident prevention, for it is part of his duty under the law.
and sheer perversity of other men at the place of work is just nonsense. Supervisors will have this on their minds and let it influence them in their j o b of providing a safe place of work and a safe method of working.
attitudes of mind
Some supervisors may cavil that this is an awful lot about why they should supervise for safety but not much help in actually doing so. T h e point is that the best safety device of all is the worker who is safety minded. This is not a state which can be induced by mere telling. It is one that has to be created by example a n d by constant unswerving and sincere regard for safety. If the supervisor grasps, understands and feels the motivations towards accident prevention this permeates his instructions, his planning and his training. His attitudes ' r u b off' on to those around him a n d become respected - the supervised recognise what the supervisor wants and it begins to be reflected in their approach to jobs. Putting it bluntly, what the boss really wants — what he goes out for, what he regards as a prime objective soon becomes known to workers. If it is safe working, he will get it. So, motivations to create the right attitudes of mind are p a r a m o u n t ; the role of the supervisor is to establish these. How it can be achieved is what we look at next.
practical supervision for safety
T h e supervisor is the last link in the managerial chain and just as his group reflects his attitudes he will reflect the attitudes of his supervisors. These m a y not be as consistent a n d obvious as his own because, if we are down to earth about the subject, in most firms accident prevention is given irregular and spasmodic attention. Despite this he must be consistent, he must come to accept that his role is as natural as drawing breath. If he achieves this state of mind, m a n y of the things he will do will follow. For example, he will recognise that propaganda plays a n important part in making m e n think safety. So he won't consign safety posters to the wastepaper basket or give them to Charlie to p u t u p without checking that Charlie does this. H e will ensure they are put u p where they will be seen and carry a message. H e will select those which are most relevant to the j o b that his section carries out. If leaflets, booklets, safety cards come his way he will see they reach the right hands a n d with a little homily on their importance when they are passed over. 'This is a useful summary of the rules for fork lift truck driving' he will say to that operative, 'let's have a look at them together, see if there's any we miss out on here - perhaps too we could tape this to the truck somewhere so any spare driver can read them too'.
social costs
Finally a few moments' reflection on the social costs of accidents should help to enthuse the supervisor for safety mindedness. I n the U K every year about 20 million days of work are lost because of industrial injuries. Whatever could be produced in 20 million working days is not produced. Society is then that much poorer, but it goes further than this. Every visit by the injured m a n to his doctor, the attention given to him by the nurse, every day he spends in a hospital bed, every drug he pre-empts, every artificial aid he finds it necessary to have to survive, deprives the community of these resources. T h e y could have been far better employed in helping to alleviate, diagnose and treat the, so far, unavoidable illnesses from which mankind suffers. T o divert medical resources to repairing h u m a n beings injured by the negligence, stupidity, carelessness, horseplay
342
new workers
W h e n new workers join his section their induction will include something on safety and accident prevention. T h e supervisor says, for example, 'We have a good safety record
here, I think you'll find the lads are keen, without making a fetish of it. Now the odd hazardous conditions we have, that need a bit more careful attention than most, are . . .' ' I ' m asking J o e to help you in the first few days. You'll learn a lot from him if you are willing; he will tell you not only what to watch for but why, that'll make it easier for you to understand. R e m e m b e r it's production we are after not production with blood on it.' If maintenance men are coming into the section to work on machines, to repair the roof or to decorate and clean he will keep a n eye on them too. Inevitably they will upset routines a n d cause distraction and both of these situations create unusual hazards. Not only that, b u t their discipline m a y not be tight. T h e y m a y be untidy, leave their tools lying about, be careless of where they stack their material. T h e supervisor has the right to see they work to a safety plan while they are in his section and do not endanger themselves or his men.
inspection
O n his inspections the supervisor will be keeping his eyes open for dangers. T h a t gash material that Bill has stacked under his work bench is beginning to overflow into the gangway — so tell Bill to get it cleared out. It's not going to be a worthwhile saving if it creates a danger of someone tripping over the material. Bill doesn't know, but the supervisor does, that about 17 out of every 100 accidents arise from people falling over things. Perhaps the operatives are getting a bit slack about observing the rules on the use of protective gear. This needs special j u m p i n g on. Anyone who removes guards or fencing (or fails to put them back after good reason for removal), anyone who doesn't use goggles or headgear, aprons or gloves when they must, anyone who attempts to clean or repair moving machinery must be disciplined. T h e supervisor mustn't hesitate in these circumstances, but his first approach can be the h u m a n one. 'This is why there are rules a n d regulations perhaps you h a d n ' t thought of the possible consequences — well we all have to learn only I don't want to see you learn the hard way.'
unimpeded. Supervisors won't always be popular for keeping them so since the incidence of emergency stocking is high 'there's nowhere else to put the stuff', the supervisor will be told. It is no joy to have to find somewhere else, but it must be done. Fire appliances are another victim of lack of space. T h e y disappear behind stacked materials. T h e hose reel begins to sport a pile of paper a n d bits of work. You never know when the appliances or the hose reel will be needed. If they are kept clear and obvious nobody will forget where they are a n d what they are there for.
tools and equipment
Defective hand tools, mushroom-headed chisels and/or hammers, power tools with worn flexibles, rounded spanners, files without handles, screwdrivers with broken handles, grips with splayed jaws . . . all of these are commonplace in too many works. T h e supervisor has a special j o b to do in preventing their use, no matter how well loved they are by their owners. So many minor accidents are caused by them, there can be no excuse for anyone using t h e m ; the supervisor must not accept any. Equipment to protect the hands, feet, the head, the eyes, the body - should be provided by the firm. T h e supervisor has three duties in connection with them. T o sec they are readily available; to see they are of the right type for the j o b ; to ensure they are used. His personal influence can be very great. J u s t handing the goggles to Fred as he uses the abrasive wheel is enough to tell Fred the boss is safety minded. If the foreman helps to lift or carry things he does 343
tidiness and clear gangways
M u c h of the foregoing is commonsense stuff. There a r e , however, areas which need attention a n d which become overlooked. T h e supervisor has a special responsibility to remember these. Signs which have a safety function become obscured or dirtied a n d neglected. T h e y need renewing or moving. Emergency exit signs or route indications are vital. Warning plates on machines and equipment become worn by constant friction or cleaning. It may appear not to matter a lot; operatives are aware of the message, but newcomers are not so well conditioned to hazards. It is a nuisance to replace signs and plates, but also an impressionable way of showing staff we believe what we preach. Approaches to exits, gangways and floors must be kept
a quick look over to see if there are burrs, ragged edges, protruding nails, splinters - then he puts on the correct gloves first. If he sees someone lifting the wrong way he stops him and demonstrates the right way — if he sees someone lifting something too heavy or too awkward to be handled by one m a n , he finds a second m a n to help and then coordinates their effort. Initially he won't earn popularity for his insistence on safety, but ultimately he earns respect for his persistence and consistency.
with ideas a n d be prepared to use them - or if they are unusable, to explain why. H e should see that used ideas are credited to the men who produce them. In short, he should be motivating his section to the same outlook as himself. I n day to day conversations h e should be referring to some theme — say care of the hands - when this is becoming exhausted a switch can be made to another aspect of safety - the use of good and correct tools - safe handling - tidiness - hygiene. There are enough subjects to cover a year or more without repetition. Circulation of safety literature helps, reading of the accidents which have happened to others makes one more conscious of what could happen in one's section. T h e RoSPA card PREVENTING ACCIDENTS - NOTES FOR FOREMEN AND SUPERVISORS acts as a constant reminder of the good supervisor's responsibility in this very important area of his duties.
work planning
This above all else requires safety mindedness. Possible dangers have to be foreseen. A supervisor not safety conscious will not even think of them, but any new j o b has to be thought out. W h a t are the steps in it? Will it create any hazards? If so, how can they be reduced? W h a t instructions need be given? T h e latter - the instructions - must be precise, clear and unambiguous; once given the supervisor must ensure that the j o b is done the proper way. If there are dangers the operatives must be warned in advance about them. Sometimes the reasons for doing jobs in a particular way need to be explained, then operatives understand and appreciate why less complicated methods are not used. In his planning and inspections the supervisor m a y well see or think of new ways of accident prevention; he should be prepared to pass his ideas on, both to management and his men. H e should encourage his operatives to come forward 344
supervisory management
Slowly but surely supervisors are earning their place in society as managers, rather than as operatives just one pace ahead of the ranks. W h a t makes a supervisor a manager is not just a title but the way in which he carries out his j o b . He has m a n y responsibilities. It is not too much to suggest that one of the first is to secure a safe place of work a n d a safe system of work. T o secure this will give him a sense of satisfaction a n d achievement which amply repays the effort it requires. ٭
Emerald Article: ACCIDENT PREVENTION: The supervisor's role BILL WALSH
Article information:
To cite this document: BILL WALSH, 1973"ACCIDENT PREVENTION: The supervisor's role", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 5 Iss: 7 pp. 341 - 344 Permanent link to this document: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/eb003331 Downloaded on: 31-07-2012 To copy this document: [email protected] This document has been downloaded 368 times since 2008. *
Users who downloaded this Article also downloaded: *
JOHN WELLENS, 1973"OPERATION VULCAN: 13 exploring the experience factor", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 5 Iss: 7 pp. 327 - 332 http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/eb003327 J STEWART, 1973"Dealing with shopfloor pilfering", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 5 Iss: 7 pp. 339 - 340 http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/eb003330 1973"Simulators for Skill", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 5 Iss: 12 pp. 583 - 585 http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/eb003362
Access to this document was granted through an Emerald subscription provided by JONKOPING UNIVERSITY LIBRARY For Authors: If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service. Information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.com With over forty years' experience, Emerald Group Publishing is a leading independent publisher of global research with impact in business, society, public policy and education. In total, Emerald publishes over 275 journals and more than 130 book series, as well as an extensive range of online products and services. Emerald is both COUNTER 3 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation.
*Related content and download information correct at time of download.
ACCIDENT PREVENTION
thesupervisor'srole
by BILL WALSH
Too often under-rated, too often neglected concern for people and too often forgotten until there is a FEW DAYS PASS WITHOUT SOME REPORT OF THE SUPERHUMAN serious accident, is the job of the supervisor endeavours m a d e to rescue people in trouble. Without thought for their personal safety, men take serious risks to to ensure that his operatives have a safe aid others in difficulty. W h y do they do this? Is it not just place of work and work in a safe fashion. a h u m a n and natural reaction to do so? Of course it is. So, If we look at the situation sensibly there it follows that the same concern for others as people can be are four very important motivators to a powerful persuasion to supervisors to think safety. W h e n supervisors realise the utter impossibility of replacing safety at work which can — if he becomes h u m a n life, of restoring severed limbs or of renovating aware of them - prompt the supervisor to impaired facilities, it dawns upon them why accident prevenset an example which his operatives will tion is so important a part of their j o b . Once it is rooted in follow. They are, in order of priority: the supervisors' minds it colours their thinking, planning, training and practice. T h e automatic recollection of what concern for people, concern for production, pain a n d anxiety means not only to the accident victim the law, social costs. b u t also to his family, friends a n d relatives, prompts the
supervisor to secure and maintain a safe place of work.
production
Ask a n y supervisor to describe his duties in the priorities they should be accorded and, rightly, most of them will p u t production as n u m b e r one. All accidents have some effect on production. Examples are not needed to show what it must do to production when the working team is deprived of a member difficult to replace — or when maintenance is not carried out to schedule, machines are halted, or there is no driver to get the goods away nor storeman to order the materials. Serious accidents raise serious rescheduling and reorganisation problems. Even if replacement men with the right skills arc available, inevitably they have to be bedded in and m a d e part of the group. T h e dislocation of production extends not just for a few hours b u t for days. Non serious accidents total about 10 000 per day. 'Only' small things (unless one is the sufferer) — a sprain or strain, bruise or cut, burn or abrasion. Each one devours production time. T h e injured employee must receive first aid attention. T h a t m a y be small in itself but after that the injury has its effects on his dexterity or mobility, the plaster or bandage gets in his way. T h e r e is a slowing down of production. This costs money and the eternal problem of the supervisor — of how to reach the production target - balloons to frustrating proportions. When good men are lost to the work group or slowed down, inevitably the associated problem of getting the j o b done at the right cost also crowds on to the supervisor's back. If, unusually, he is too cynical to care for people, perhaps
341
the supervisor's role in accident prevention
concern for production and for costs is a spur to the supervisor's thinking on accident prevention.
the law
Most supervisors come u p through the ranks. T h e y hear on their way u p of the compensation cases; they learn that besides the factory rules there are legal requirements that must be observed; sooner or later they read the contents of the abstract from the Factories Act which firms must display. So they know, in a n imprecise way, that the law is involved in accident prevention. Perhaps not often enough they are told, on becoming a supervisor, that as part of their j o b they now have greater responsibilities in this sphere. So they have, for common law (which is founded on immemorial custom, practice and habit) demands that employers . . . 'take reasonable care of those they employ'. W h a t is 'reasonable' is a matter of fact. A great n u m b e r of jobs involve some element of risk which cannot be removed, but the jobs must be done. As the on-the-spot manager, the supervisor has the responsibility for ensuring that hazards are reduced to the smallest proportion. If a m a n uses too short a ladder for a j o b the supervisor must stop him and make him find one more suitable. T h e r e is a n element of risk in all ladder work. T h e supervisor cannot remove it, but he can and must prevent men from taking unnecessary risks. T h e common law is buttressed by stricter a n d more clearly defined statutes. There are a number of these plus statutory regulations made by Ministers of the Crown under the authority of various Acts which state fairly precisely what must be done or must not be done in certain circumstances. Breach of these regulations is a criminal offence a n d both operatives and supervisors can be fined for failure to follow what the law prescribes. So, if concern for people and concern for production do not motivate the supervisor to safety mindedness, then he must still pursue accident prevention, for it is part of his duty under the law.
and sheer perversity of other men at the place of work is just nonsense. Supervisors will have this on their minds and let it influence them in their j o b of providing a safe place of work and a safe method of working.
attitudes of mind
Some supervisors may cavil that this is an awful lot about why they should supervise for safety but not much help in actually doing so. T h e point is that the best safety device of all is the worker who is safety minded. This is not a state which can be induced by mere telling. It is one that has to be created by example a n d by constant unswerving and sincere regard for safety. If the supervisor grasps, understands and feels the motivations towards accident prevention this permeates his instructions, his planning and his training. His attitudes ' r u b off' on to those around him a n d become respected - the supervised recognise what the supervisor wants and it begins to be reflected in their approach to jobs. Putting it bluntly, what the boss really wants — what he goes out for, what he regards as a prime objective soon becomes known to workers. If it is safe working, he will get it. So, motivations to create the right attitudes of mind are p a r a m o u n t ; the role of the supervisor is to establish these. How it can be achieved is what we look at next.
practical supervision for safety
T h e supervisor is the last link in the managerial chain and just as his group reflects his attitudes he will reflect the attitudes of his supervisors. These m a y not be as consistent a n d obvious as his own because, if we are down to earth about the subject, in most firms accident prevention is given irregular and spasmodic attention. Despite this he must be consistent, he must come to accept that his role is as natural as drawing breath. If he achieves this state of mind, m a n y of the things he will do will follow. For example, he will recognise that propaganda plays a n important part in making m e n think safety. So he won't consign safety posters to the wastepaper basket or give them to Charlie to p u t u p without checking that Charlie does this. H e will ensure they are put u p where they will be seen and carry a message. H e will select those which are most relevant to the j o b that his section carries out. If leaflets, booklets, safety cards come his way he will see they reach the right hands a n d with a little homily on their importance when they are passed over. 'This is a useful summary of the rules for fork lift truck driving' he will say to that operative, 'let's have a look at them together, see if there's any we miss out on here - perhaps too we could tape this to the truck somewhere so any spare driver can read them too'.
social costs
Finally a few moments' reflection on the social costs of accidents should help to enthuse the supervisor for safety mindedness. I n the U K every year about 20 million days of work are lost because of industrial injuries. Whatever could be produced in 20 million working days is not produced. Society is then that much poorer, but it goes further than this. Every visit by the injured m a n to his doctor, the attention given to him by the nurse, every day he spends in a hospital bed, every drug he pre-empts, every artificial aid he finds it necessary to have to survive, deprives the community of these resources. T h e y could have been far better employed in helping to alleviate, diagnose and treat the, so far, unavoidable illnesses from which mankind suffers. T o divert medical resources to repairing h u m a n beings injured by the negligence, stupidity, carelessness, horseplay
342
new workers
W h e n new workers join his section their induction will include something on safety and accident prevention. T h e supervisor says, for example, 'We have a good safety record
here, I think you'll find the lads are keen, without making a fetish of it. Now the odd hazardous conditions we have, that need a bit more careful attention than most, are . . .' ' I ' m asking J o e to help you in the first few days. You'll learn a lot from him if you are willing; he will tell you not only what to watch for but why, that'll make it easier for you to understand. R e m e m b e r it's production we are after not production with blood on it.' If maintenance men are coming into the section to work on machines, to repair the roof or to decorate and clean he will keep a n eye on them too. Inevitably they will upset routines a n d cause distraction and both of these situations create unusual hazards. Not only that, b u t their discipline m a y not be tight. T h e y m a y be untidy, leave their tools lying about, be careless of where they stack their material. T h e supervisor has the right to see they work to a safety plan while they are in his section and do not endanger themselves or his men.
inspection
O n his inspections the supervisor will be keeping his eyes open for dangers. T h a t gash material that Bill has stacked under his work bench is beginning to overflow into the gangway — so tell Bill to get it cleared out. It's not going to be a worthwhile saving if it creates a danger of someone tripping over the material. Bill doesn't know, but the supervisor does, that about 17 out of every 100 accidents arise from people falling over things. Perhaps the operatives are getting a bit slack about observing the rules on the use of protective gear. This needs special j u m p i n g on. Anyone who removes guards or fencing (or fails to put them back after good reason for removal), anyone who doesn't use goggles or headgear, aprons or gloves when they must, anyone who attempts to clean or repair moving machinery must be disciplined. T h e supervisor mustn't hesitate in these circumstances, but his first approach can be the h u m a n one. 'This is why there are rules a n d regulations perhaps you h a d n ' t thought of the possible consequences — well we all have to learn only I don't want to see you learn the hard way.'
unimpeded. Supervisors won't always be popular for keeping them so since the incidence of emergency stocking is high 'there's nowhere else to put the stuff', the supervisor will be told. It is no joy to have to find somewhere else, but it must be done. Fire appliances are another victim of lack of space. T h e y disappear behind stacked materials. T h e hose reel begins to sport a pile of paper a n d bits of work. You never know when the appliances or the hose reel will be needed. If they are kept clear and obvious nobody will forget where they are a n d what they are there for.
tools and equipment
Defective hand tools, mushroom-headed chisels and/or hammers, power tools with worn flexibles, rounded spanners, files without handles, screwdrivers with broken handles, grips with splayed jaws . . . all of these are commonplace in too many works. T h e supervisor has a special j o b to do in preventing their use, no matter how well loved they are by their owners. So many minor accidents are caused by them, there can be no excuse for anyone using t h e m ; the supervisor must not accept any. Equipment to protect the hands, feet, the head, the eyes, the body - should be provided by the firm. T h e supervisor has three duties in connection with them. T o sec they are readily available; to see they are of the right type for the j o b ; to ensure they are used. His personal influence can be very great. J u s t handing the goggles to Fred as he uses the abrasive wheel is enough to tell Fred the boss is safety minded. If the foreman helps to lift or carry things he does 343
tidiness and clear gangways
M u c h of the foregoing is commonsense stuff. There a r e , however, areas which need attention a n d which become overlooked. T h e supervisor has a special responsibility to remember these. Signs which have a safety function become obscured or dirtied a n d neglected. T h e y need renewing or moving. Emergency exit signs or route indications are vital. Warning plates on machines and equipment become worn by constant friction or cleaning. It may appear not to matter a lot; operatives are aware of the message, but newcomers are not so well conditioned to hazards. It is a nuisance to replace signs and plates, but also an impressionable way of showing staff we believe what we preach. Approaches to exits, gangways and floors must be kept
a quick look over to see if there are burrs, ragged edges, protruding nails, splinters - then he puts on the correct gloves first. If he sees someone lifting the wrong way he stops him and demonstrates the right way — if he sees someone lifting something too heavy or too awkward to be handled by one m a n , he finds a second m a n to help and then coordinates their effort. Initially he won't earn popularity for his insistence on safety, but ultimately he earns respect for his persistence and consistency.
with ideas a n d be prepared to use them - or if they are unusable, to explain why. H e should see that used ideas are credited to the men who produce them. In short, he should be motivating his section to the same outlook as himself. I n day to day conversations h e should be referring to some theme — say care of the hands - when this is becoming exhausted a switch can be made to another aspect of safety - the use of good and correct tools - safe handling - tidiness - hygiene. There are enough subjects to cover a year or more without repetition. Circulation of safety literature helps, reading of the accidents which have happened to others makes one more conscious of what could happen in one's section. T h e RoSPA card PREVENTING ACCIDENTS - NOTES FOR FOREMEN AND SUPERVISORS acts as a constant reminder of the good supervisor's responsibility in this very important area of his duties.
work planning
This above all else requires safety mindedness. Possible dangers have to be foreseen. A supervisor not safety conscious will not even think of them, but any new j o b has to be thought out. W h a t are the steps in it? Will it create any hazards? If so, how can they be reduced? W h a t instructions need be given? T h e latter - the instructions - must be precise, clear and unambiguous; once given the supervisor must ensure that the j o b is done the proper way. If there are dangers the operatives must be warned in advance about them. Sometimes the reasons for doing jobs in a particular way need to be explained, then operatives understand and appreciate why less complicated methods are not used. In his planning and inspections the supervisor m a y well see or think of new ways of accident prevention; he should be prepared to pass his ideas on, both to management and his men. H e should encourage his operatives to come forward 344
supervisory management
Slowly but surely supervisors are earning their place in society as managers, rather than as operatives just one pace ahead of the ranks. W h a t makes a supervisor a manager is not just a title but the way in which he carries out his j o b . He has m a n y responsibilities. It is not too much to suggest that one of the first is to secure a safe place of work a n d a safe system of work. T o secure this will give him a sense of satisfaction a n d achievement which amply repays the effort it requires. ٭
