Page 11 - Tennessee 811 Magazine 2020 Issue 3

The Dangers of “Cutting Corners”
TNUCA Safety News, Volume 30, Issue 3
he expression “cutting corners” is often used to replace the true meaning of what is
done. The phrase means
to remove, delete, dilute, or refuse
to recognize. When somebody “cuts corners” in reference to safety, they are taking a huge chance and gambling
on an accident not happening during that moment in time. In reference to potential safety, health, and compliance, contractors cannot afford to allow managers, foremen, and/or workers to cut corners.
For example, a manager may direct a foreman to have workers set a trench box 4 foot off the bottom of a 12-foot- deep trench because they only have an 8-foot-high trench box available. While cutting corners may be less expensive than purchasing or renting a 4-foot-high box to stack on top, the unsupported or unshielded 4-foot trench walls below the box could cave-in and injure or kill someone working in the trench.
In addition, it is a violation of the OSHA standards, which only permits a box to be set a maximum of 2 feet above the bottom of the trench as long as there is no indication of a possible loss of soil from behind or below the trench box. By setting the box 4 feet off the bottom of the trench, this manager is gambling with the lives of workers and/or the possibility of an OSHA officer showing up and possibly issuing a willful penalty – Minimum $9,639 maximum $134,937. Is it worth cutting corners?
Some contractors cut corners far too often. You need only walk around the average jobsite to see what is taking place. The next time you visit or even walk by a jobsite, take a close look
and you may see something that is so obvious that you just know the manager or foreman knew it was wrong, but let it occur anyway.
The following is a list of some of the things I have observed when visiting utility construction jobs or in pictures shared with me:
Trench Protection:
• Trench boxes that are 8 feet tall sit-
Reprinted by permission of the National Utility Contractors Association.
ting in trenches that are much deeper, set too far above the bottom of the trench, missing cross braces, have too much space outside the shield walls, and/or have damaged walls or cross braces.
• Hydraulic shoring that is not spaced properly, cylinders are not level, there are too few shores for the size of the trench, and/or the shoring is damaged.
• Sloping never seems to be cut back far enough for the type of soil, generally because the soil was not classified by the competent person in the first place or the foreman is not familiar with the sloping requirements.
Trench Access and Egress Points:
• Ramps are used, and workers are walking in and out of the trench using a ramp that is unprotected in areas greater than 5 feet deep. Any area over 5 feet deep must have a protective system including ramps.
• Ladders that do not extend at least 36 inches above the point of access, are not secure, have missing rungs or damaged side rails, and/or are placed outside the trench box or protective system.
Personal Protective Equipment:
• Hard hats, safety glasses, and work gloves are the most common forms of PPE used in the industry, yet many workers have not been provided with the essential equipment needed to
protect them from injuries. Worse yet, they have been provided with the equipment, yet are not using it.
• There are other things workers should have that are not actually considered PPE but are things
like proper fitting work clothes, work boots, and high-visibility vests when working around traffic and equipment can make a huge difference. Yet some companies let workers come to the job wearing shorts, sneakers, and no shirt. Even if it’s hot out, this type of thing is dangerous and can put lives at risk.
I am sure that there are a lot of other examples we could add to this list and since you are reading this newsletter
I am probably preaching to the choir. What I really want to get across is that cutting corners can lead to accidents and allowing your employees to cut corners for any reason is a dangerous practice.
Managers – foremen, crew leaders, and all the way up the line – have a moral and ethical obligation to ensure that the workplace is safe. Cutting corners sends a message to all employees that it is okay to take chances and dilutes the value of your safety program. This is
a practice that must stop if a company is determined to establish a company safety culture with a goal of having zero injuries year after year.
Do not do this - No PPE to be seen
2020, Issue 3
Tennessee811 • 9