Transcript Reducing Risk Working Alone in Labs PPT
Reducing Risk:
Working Alone in the Laboratory
Sarah Meyer, MSPH, CIH, CSP
Laboratory Safety Compliance Specialist
Janette de la Rosa Ducut, Ed.D.
Training and Communications Manager
Russell Vernon, Ph.D.
Director
1.
2.
3.
Project Objectives
Reduce
risk
for lone workers in Chemistry laboratories Identify the
program components
needed to implement on campus Review best practices and
lessons learned
Working Alone
Evaluation
Do you have employees who work alone routinely, periodically, or occasionally?
What type of hazards are they exposed to?
What type of controls implemented?
should be
Working Alone
Compliance California Code of Regulations, Title 8 §3400(f) Effective provisions shall be made in advance for prompt medical treatment in the event of serious injury or illness…avoid unnecessary delay in treatment… (1) A communication system for contacting a doctor or emergency medical service, such as access to 911 or equivalent telephone system…
Who is a lone worker?
Lone worker is someone who cannot be
seen or heard
by another person, or cannot
expect a visit
from another employee.
(March 2014)
Keeping Lone Workers Safe
Assess
the hazards Take
corrective action
minimize potential risks to Provide appropriate
training Schedule
higher-risk tasks during normal business hours, or when someone else is present Create a check-in procedure
Check-in procedure
1.
Use a daily work plan 2.
Contact an employee or supervisor at designed times 3.
Follow the emergency action plan for missed check ins
(March 2014)
Background
The “No working alone in labs” rule was commonly ignored through at least the late 1980s to today.
Late nights and weekend work are the norm Buddy system is often claimed to be used, but rarely implemented “Remote Buddy Alert Tool” developed from a garage door opener by Dr. John Palmer while at UCSD “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” alert systems were investigated . developed the first commercially available system for a an institution with multi-story buildings
Incidents at UCR
Five incidents occurred in one year while people were working alone in a single building
Lone Worker Program overview
Length: 5 min http://ehs.ucr.edu/resources/videos/#laboratory
GPS Comparison
Satellite & Cell Phone GPS Lone Worker GPS
Loner SMD Device
Alert Types
Audible
Manually pull the latch down
Silent
Push the (white) button
Fall
(Automatic fall sensor)
Acknowledging an Alert
At UCR, Alerts acknowledged by UCPD. There is an option to use a third party monitor.
Video Tutorial
Acknowledging an Alert
Informing the PIs
The program was introduced through a series of fact sheets, guides, emails, meetings, and word-of mouth.
PI Alert preferences
A simple web-based form was created to
enable PIs to customize their contact settings
. This was entered into the system by EH&S.
https://loner.blacklinegps.com/sign-in
Beacon position
Beacons were positioned near
laboratory exits
to maximize visibility, and provide consistency for maintenance.
Beacon installation
Step 1 Step 2
Beacons were installed using self-adhesive
Velcro®
so that they could be easily relocated later.
Beacon placement
Beacons were placed centrally
between
rooms, and in
restrooms
.
Training the Laboratory
Training the Police
Lessons Learned
1.
2.
3.
Use industrial
Velcro
to attach beacons to the wall Getting a cell phone
signal
inside buildings (especially basements) is challenging
Elevators & stairwells are dead spots Loner SMD uses AT&T service in US Cell phone booster might be necessary in poor cell reception areas
Log in/off alert can result in
several texts/emails
Other applications
Housing and Dining (HDRS) department is interested in mitigating the risks for delivery drivers and convenience store clerks working evening shifts
HDRS
recognized the possible friction caused with some unions AND asked that EH&S discuss the program with Labor Relations
Labor Relations
subsequently notified both unions that represent Graduate Students and Post-Docs; neither have protested.
Lesson Learned: Inform unions before implementation
The big question: What’s the cost?
Loner SMD Device
(not the intrinsically safe version)
$399 per unit Beacon Device $129 per unit Managed deployment service $30 per unit
Annual service per Loner Device $300 per unit Premium call center annual service per Loner Device (UCR not using) $150 per unit for 24/7 coverage
Metrics
175 2
Usage Activity On average the devices are used
74 times per hour
during a 2 month period (April 2014 – May 2014). The highest use occurs in the afternoon, peaking at 1:00 pm (total of 175). The lowest use occurs in the early morning at 4:00 pm (total of 2).
Metrics
Alert Types Notwithstanding system checks, the most frequent alert types are
audible
(24), followed by
silent
(10), and
fall
detections (4).
Other
types include: system GPS checks, tests, and false alarms.
For more information
Blackridge Solutions
Lance Kellough (778) 686-5799 http://www.blackridgesolutions.com
EH&S
Safety & IH (951) 827-5528 http://ehs.ucr.edu/safety [email protected]
Teamwork wins!
UCPD
Lt. Jason Day Judy Lane (Dispatch)
EH&S
Mary Amimoto, Nicole Clark, and Jack Thompson
CNAS Machine Shop
Jeff Leffler Source:
Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology
http://www.sustainable-nano.com