Utility Department dealing with slips, trips and falls

Utility Department dealing with slips, trips and falls

Workers, commissioners look for training to reduce accidents

news@theeveningtimes.com

Many companies rank safety as a top concern, and the West Memphis Utility Department shares that focus.

Quarterly safety results were emphasized in a report to Utility commissioners at this month’s commission meeting. Senior Lineman and Safety Coordinator Brett Sims compiled the accident and incident reports and delivered an executive overview at the May 4 meeting.

The city utilities’ 40 employees totalled up three vehicle accidents and four recordable injuries during the first quarter of 2016.

The single lost-time injury cost two days work. Two injuries resulted in 18 days total of restricted duty. A blow to the face to one employee, resulting from the flailing arms of another worker slipping, resulted in some “skin glue” being applied to seal a laceration on bridge of the nose. One strain happened when an office worker fell, reaching from an office chair and tweaked a knee. Another worker dropped a man-hole cover on his foot and the follow-up determined the need to replace a worn out removal tool that made handling the lid hazardous.

With no safety shoes currently required, the blow left the worker temporarily hobbled.

“As far as addressing these, I have had one-onone consultations with these individuals,” said Sims.

Ten percent of the department’s employees having a recordible accident during the first quarter of 2016 left commissioners shaking their heads.

“No injury is acceptable,” said Dana Parker. “But four in one quarter? One of those in the office from leaning back in a chair?”

One vehicle accident was also reported each of the first three months of the year as well. In a January accident, a Utilities driver was found not to be at fauly, and police issued a ticket to the other diver. In February, a Utility truck driver was ticketed for an accident at Barton and Missouri. In March, the driver of a Utility Department dump truck bumped electrical lines while spreading chat, resulting in damage to the lines and a power outage.

“You’ve got to consider all accidents as avoidable,” said Commissioner Jerry Burns.

Utility officials reacted by starting research to determine their rank in safety performance relative to other utilities, and continued scheduling a variety of training including some defensive driving school set for July 7. Competent person training and confined space training were the learning topics covered during the first quarter. “One of the things we are looking at are indices comparing our results to those of the industry to establish our (safety) performance baseline,” said Assistant Utilities Manager Todd Pedersen. “We are benchmarking.”

“We have the Department of Labor training coming in May 26 to do some free training, that the whole city is going to be involved in,” said Sims. “They’ll do an annual required chemical right to know and they’ll put in back safety, and slip, trip, and fall awareness training.”

By John Rech