Pumps & Systems’ 2021 Safety Survey Results
How safe is it to work in the pumps industry?
by Jennifer King
10/04/2021

While 94% of respondents said they feel safe at their workplace, some respondents would like to see more training on arc flash, chemical hazards, hearing safety and more. The number of respondents who experienced an injury in the last year was low but two people did report that they lost a finger. Here is more on how the pumps industry is answering the call from employees to consider their safety a high priority and what organizations are continuing to do to protect professionals against COVID-19. 

Do you use personal protective equipment (PPE)? If you usually use PPE, does your equipment include (please select all that apply)

Do you know what PPE items you should wear? Have you been trained to use your PPE?

 

How frequently does your team have safety training? When changes are made involving equipment, do you receive new training?

Does your employer have in place a safety committee or a worker health and safety rep? #8If you could request one item of safety gear or one safety training class, it would be:

  • Arc flash
  • Isolation and tagging
  • How to use and apply safety gears correctly
  • Disaster management drills
  • How to handle a fire outbreak in the factory
  • Explosion and firefighting
  • Working at high heights
  • Noncontact voltage detectors
  • High-voltage safety gloves and electrical tools
  • Hazard identification and how to reduce it
  • Release consequence modeling
  • OSHA regulations (Occupational Safety and Health Administration
  • Trips and falls safety training
  • Working in confined spaces
  • Driven equipment such as cranes, end loaders, fork lifts, etc.
  • Electrical safety
  • Safety harnesses
  • Hearing safety
  • MSHA training (Mine Safety and Health Administration)
  • Polyether reactor safety
  • Scaffolding training
  • Chemical hazards
  • Rigging
  • Hazardous gas; gas leaks prevention
  • Air quality training

 

How often are you asked to do task that you feel you hadn't had proper training for?

 

How often has someone been injured badly enough to go to the emergency room/hospital in your workplace?

How many people in the last year have been injured badly enough to go to the emergency room/hospital? Have you experienced a workplace injury in the last year?

Is the available first-aid appropriate to the work being done at the facility?

Do you feel safe at your workplace? Do you think your employer is doing everything possible to keep you safe from physical harm at work?

#16If your answer to question 15 was no, what would you like to be done better?

  • Update training program periodically
  • Upgrade existing first aid stations to emergency stations with ICU facilities
  • Simply do the right thing and care for the person instead of thinking first “what report is this going to show up on” or “how can I keep the company from being liable for this”
  • Few employee safety improvement suggestions are acted on
  • My employer should recognize first that we need to care about COVID-19 and improve company response about it. Be strict with the use of face masks
  • Better protection in material handling
  • Worksite security against active shooter/s

Is your company still experiencing social distancing on the plant/facility floor or in the offices? Has your company added additional PPE requirements to combat the coronavirus?

 

If so, what additional PPE is now required? If so, what additional PPE is now required?

  • Face masks
  • Gloves
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Face shields
  • Testing
  • Temperature checks
  • Social distancing
  • Additional office or work area disinfecting
  • Frequent handwashing

Has your company added safety training to protect employees against the coronavirus?

#21If so, what did the training entail?

  • PPE training
  • Daily reminders of safety protocols for COVID-19
  • Flyers of do’s and don’ts
  • Information seminars and meetings
  • Invited the ministry of health officials to come and sensitize employees on the same. Also set aside an isolation room with bed, sanitizers, gloves and masks
  • Awareness and cleaning training
  • Semi-weekly emails
  • Online training
  • Videos and newsletters
  • Changed policy and procedure [handbook], mandatory virtual class

 

 



Jennifer King is the editor of Pumps & Systems magazine. Contact her at jdking@cahabamedia.com.

Issue

October 2021