Stairway to Heaven
A Story to Help Us Think About How We Think About Workplace Safety
by Jim Kleinsteuber
I have been involved in safety in one form or another for my entire working career. From my earliest days framing residential homes to driving semi-tractor trailer rigs, to working construction in a nuclear environment, safety was necessary to not only survive but also to keep my job.
On the surface, this article would seem to be about ladder safety. But this is not your typical explanation of ladder inspection and function. Look at this picture of a window washer doing his job. As a workplace safety professional, what would you think if you saw this? |
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As you know, it's important to provide positive reinforcement for safe work. From a behavioral safety perspective, you would probably look for what the window washer (let’s call him "Bob") is doing safely. We are there to observe his task and provide feedback. We can immediately see that Bob is keeping his eyes on his task, which is safe. Bob’s choice of tool and equipment are safe.
A trained observer would ask, “Is the worker using the right tools for the task, are they in good shape and are they being used correctly?” Yes, yes, and yes. The ladder is the right height for the task and in good condition and also being used safely.
Let’s allow the worker both feet and a knee hook-over as three points of contact, because reaching and washing windows with one hand on a ladder is next to impossible. So, if you were providing feedback to this worker, you would mention all the aforementioned "safes" first.
In the next picture (below) we can see that Bob is still performing all the safes we saw earlier, but as the camera pans back, new concerns become apparent. The positioning on the ladder has changed somewhat as the worker is now reaching higher and potentially putting himself off balance.
A trained observer would ask, “Is the worker using the right tools for the task, are they in good shape and are they being used correctly?” Yes, yes, and yes. The ladder is the right height for the task and in good condition and also being used safely.
Let’s allow the worker both feet and a knee hook-over as three points of contact, because reaching and washing windows with one hand on a ladder is next to impossible. So, if you were providing feedback to this worker, you would mention all the aforementioned "safes" first.
In the next picture (below) we can see that Bob is still performing all the safes we saw earlier, but as the camera pans back, new concerns become apparent. The positioning on the ladder has changed somewhat as the worker is now reaching higher and potentially putting himself off balance.
To ease your mind a bit, I will tell you that the ladder is making contact with the window frame -- not leaning on the glass panels.
But right about now, I think your concern for the worker's safety may be beginning to change dramatically.
Now look at the final picture in this series:
But right about now, I think your concern for the worker's safety may be beginning to change dramatically.
Now look at the final picture in this series:
I photographed this worker in San Antonio, Texas during a conference I was attending. During an afternoon break, one of my co-workers sought me out as the “safety guy” and pointed out this situation to me. Panning back we see an entirely different perspective of this task. First, Bob’s feet are 28 rungs above the concrete floor below, which places his head over 30 feet from the floor. He has no fall protection. Below him are doors to the Riverwalk. They have no signs, no warning, and no barricades. Hotel guests, tourists, and children were coming and going through the doors below "Bob".
Falls are the second leading cause of occupational deaths according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Department of Labor, 2010). What are the consequences if Bob falls? Consider the risk/gain factors to the worker, the hotel, and the public.
In the next article, I’ll tell you the rest of the story.
Meanwhile, what's your reaction to what you've seen so far? The most common questions I've heard when I've used this series of photographs has been, “What was that fool thinking?”
What would you have thought and/or done if you were there and saw this? Feel free to send me your comments below ...
Falls are the second leading cause of occupational deaths according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Department of Labor, 2010). What are the consequences if Bob falls? Consider the risk/gain factors to the worker, the hotel, and the public.
In the next article, I’ll tell you the rest of the story.
Meanwhile, what's your reaction to what you've seen so far? The most common questions I've heard when I've used this series of photographs has been, “What was that fool thinking?”
What would you have thought and/or done if you were there and saw this? Feel free to send me your comments below ...