New employees are often eager, but equally often inexperienced and unaware of the specific safety hazards of your workplace. That’s why safety orientation is so important, as this case study proves to new workers.
Case studies are a great way to train employees about workplace hazards and protections. You can use them effectively in both safety training and orientation programs. Today, we feature a case study from BLR’s OSHA Accident Case Studies that is designed to show new employees why their safety orientation is so important, and why they should pay careful attention to what they’re being taught those first few crucial days on the job.
The accident and serious injury in this case, like most workplace accidents, could easily have been prevented had the new employee known the proper actions required to protect his safety. Instead, he placed himself in danger and was injured because he was unaware of the risks and the rules.
The Case
Employee #1, an experienced worker, is cleaning a dough mixer with the lid open. An interlock on the lid deactivates the mixer blades, so they are not operating. But the air-lock blades, through which scrap dough is returned to the mixer, are still operational and not deactivated by the interlock.
Employee #1 is called away to do another job. He leaves the mixer with the lid up.
Employee #2, who is new, enters the machinery area to learn more and to move up to a better job. He approaches the dough mixer and sees that the mixing blades are shut off. He approaches the mixer unaware that the air-lock scrap dough return blades are still on.
While standing in front of the mixer, Employee #2 puts his hand into the air-lock to clear or clean it. His fingers strike against the moving air-lock blades. He suffers a partial amputation of the middle, ring, and little fingers on his right hand.
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Discussion
OSHA Accident Case Studies encourage interaction. So once the accident scenario has been presented, questions designed to stimulate discussion are introduced. For example, in this case trainees are asked questions like:
- Do you think injured Employee #2 properly trained to clean the mixer?
- Should Employee #2 have reached into the mixer?
- What kind of training should new or transferred employees receive?
- Do you think Employee #1, who walked away from the mixer, partly to blame for this accident?
Analysis
Once new employees have discussed these questions, it’s time to look at the causes of this accident and how it could have been prevented. The program suggests the following factors:
- Employee #1 did not properly lock out the machine and then left it unattended. If the machine had been locked out properly, the curious new Employee #2 would not have suffered the same injuries when he reached into the machine.
- Employee #2 was new to the work area. He was unaware of the hazards of the equipment in this area. He had not been trained to operate or clean the equipment. He had no idea, for example that the air-lock blades were still operational and therefore extremely hazardous. He probably assumed that the power to the machine was turned off because he had observed the other worker cleaning it.
- Employee #2 wanted to help. He wanted to make a good impression with co-workers and prove that he was willing to help out. He also wanted to learn about the machinery. Although it’s good to be enthusiastic about their job and want to learn new things, new employees also must be sure they understand the hazards and the safety rules—in this case, the dangers of the equipment and the rule which says stay away from hazardous equipment unless trained and authorized.
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Accident Prevention
Accidents like this one can easily be prevented. But to do so, you must create awareness of safety issues and instill a good safety attitude right from the start, before new employees have a chance to make a mistake and get injured.
That’s what the orientation period is for. Using a case study such as this one is an easy and effective way to engage new employees in the orientation process and prepare them to become safe workers.
Tomorrow, we’ll talk more about the benefits of using case studies in safety and health.