IL Section CSWEA Fall Seminar Maintenance & Safety Water/Wastewater Safety Concerns

1. IL Section CSWEA Fall Seminar Maintenance & SafetyWater/Wastewater Safety Concerns Wednesday, November 12, 2008 J. Michael DeMarco Senior Consultant

2. Water/Wastewater Safety Concerns Overview Water/Wastewater Treatment Plants Safety Accident/Incident Statistics Accident Causes Safety Program Elements

3. Wastewater Treatment Plants-Severity & Frequency

4. Wastewater Treatment Plants-Injury Types

5. Injury Types-Examples of Injuries Strains • $803,747 (30 claims) 71% of all claims severity • Ripping out old door jam-$256,438, Pulling extension cord out of tank-$56,829, Lifting box from floor to counter & strained left shoulder-$78,769, Lifting polymer grids out of floor-$14,394, Loosening bolt when felt pull in right shoulder-$93,633, Tripped & fell over cable that closes levy road hurting shoulder-$80,883, Operating Bull Dozer, track slid, causing machine to tip resulting in cervical strain & laceration-$100,675 Contusions • $240,551(8 claims) 21% of all claims severity • Removing switchgear for maintenance, gear switch failed, gantry above unit broke and fell injured hand, elbow, neck-$175,352, Slipped on ice as walking toward vehicle-$63,750, Slipped on stairs injure rt. Knee-$61,051 • $40,010 (12 claims) 4% of all claims severity • Working on barscreen bucket fell on finger, pinching finger BT bucket & lift-$3,766, Picked up tool on floor, struck head on control panel-$4,371, Gantry crane fell on head-$6,948 Lacerations • $35,376 (4 claims) 3% of all claims severity • Slipped & fell on polymer, sprain & fracture to rt. Knee-$31,260, Removed tangled cord on floor, slipped on floor, injured rt. elbow, $1,872 Fractures $1,139,605 in total claims severity

6. Safety Program Elements • Accountability & Responsibility For Safety For All Levels of Organization • Safety Must be Part of Organizational Culture/Every Day/Every Activity • Safe Facility & Equipment Design-Pre-Op/Design Phase Safety • Safety Committees • Safety Audits of Facilities, Equipment & Work Practices • Accident/Incident Investigations-Use a Lessons Learned Process • Safety Training-Technical & Practical • Establish & Follow Safe Job Procedures-SJP’s through JSA Process • Daily Safety Contacts & Safety Communications

7. Safety Tips • Strains-Use Hoists/Lifts, Tailgate Lifts, Equipment. If you think it is too heavy it probably is, so ask for help. Keep the loads and work close to the body at all times. Do not overextend or twist under load. Make sure footing is secure, load is balanced, and you have a firm grip before lifting. • Slip, Trip & Fall Prevention-Maintain sidewalks, walkways, stairs, ladders & parking lots. Use three points of contact when using a ladder and when exiting or entering a vehicle. Slow down and change your gait (do the duck walk!) when walking on uncertain surfaces. Clean up the mess or warn others. • Safety is caring about each other and looking out for each other. Teams that work well together are productive and safe!

8. Questions? Answers