Hierarchy of Controls Applied to Landscape Maintenance Fleet Safety

Author, Drew Garcia, Vice President, Landscape Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Hierarchy of Controls

The National Safety Council introduced the Hierarchy of Controls in the 1950s as a safety framework. The framework is organized as an inverse pyramid of risk mitigation practices that can help organizations reduce workplace hazards. The graphic places the most effective methods at the top and the least effective at the bottom starting from elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment.

Applying the Hierarchy of Controls to fleet safety for a commercial landscape maintenance company is critical. Using the five levels of controls in the order of most effective first to the least effective can reduce overall fleet risks.

Elimination

Although eliminating the over-the-road exposure all together is impossible for landscape companies, there are still ways to critically reduce the risk through other means.

• Eliminate unnecessary trips due to route optimization or job consolidation can reduce overall miles driven.

• Eliminate hazardous or unsafe vehicles from the fleet immediately.

• Eliminate driving in severe weather conditions like rain, wind, fog, and snow.

• Eliminate the need for backing up at job sites with pre site planning.

Substitution

If a risk cannot be eliminated, try replacing the hazard with something less risky.

• Replace older vehicles that lack updated safety technology with more modern options.

• Replace open utility trailers with enclosed options.

• Stagger morning rollouts, when appropriate, for a safer start to the day.

Engineering Controls

The third option is deploying engineering controls to isolate people from the hazard.

• Utilize safety controls such as backup cameras, 360-degree cameras, blind spot notice, land departure, forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking technology in vehicles.

• Organized and fitted trailers help hold equipment and material while in transport to prevent shifting.

• Dash cameras and global positioning systems (GPS) are tools help monitor driver behavior and provide more insight if an accident occurs.

• Prepare flow maps for the yard to help crews enter and exist safely.

Administrative Controls

Changing the way people work is an administrative control that can reduce fleet risks.

• The controls can consist of MVR reviews, driver authorization programs, driver evaluations, and driver training.

• Implement cell phone, seatbelt, and drug/alcohol policies.

• Perform daily vehicle inspections and telematics safety habit reviews.

• Implement a preventive maintenance program that helps keep vehicles operating safely.

Personal Protective Equipment

The last control in the hierarchy is personal protective equipment (PPE).

• High visibility safety vest help with existing and entering the vehicles.

• Signage and cones when parked near roadsides alert drivers that people are working near by.

• Safety blocks for parking and effective tools that can help employees in and out of truck beds or trailers to minimize slip and trip hazards.

When looking for opportunities to improve your fleet safety program, look at your risk through the hierarchy of controls. We tend to see most improvements within engineering space with telematics, GPS and dashcameras alongside strong administrative controls from driver selection to ongoing monitoring and training.

Safety Evolution: General Contractors Begin Requiring Safety Helmets Over Hard Hats

Author, Megan Lockhart, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

The hard hat has long been a staple for construction-site safety. However, a new contender has entered the industry in 2023 as more and more general contractors are requiring safety helmets.

The safety helmet, while similar in form to the normal hard hat, includes added protection such as chin strap, face shield, and ear muffs. These new features allow for the helmet to sit more securely on the head while also protecting the ears from dangerously high noise levels and the eyes from possible debris. 

“Since we made the switch to the new style hard hat, our employees don’t want to go back to the old-style hard hat,” Gilbane Building Company said. “This technology successfully removes the hazard of the hard hat falling off during a task, and wearing the face shield eliminates the possibility of forgetting to wear eye protection.”

While OSHA does not officially require the switch from hard hats to safety helmets, the topic was brought up at the Nation Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Spring Leadership Meeting in June 2023 in which director of OSHA’s Office of the Directorate of Construction, Scott Ketcham, granted insight on OSHA’s plans to improve jobsite safety with elevated standards for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the near future.

“One initiative shared at the meeting is a pilot program for safety helmets meant to eventually replace hardhats as the preferred head protection in construction,” NAHB’s article about the meeting said. “Ketcham noted that 20% of head injuries in construction are the result of slips, trips, and falls and that hardhats do not protect against such injuries while helmets with chinstraps may stay on the head during a fall and offer protection.”

As PPE continues to evolve in the construction industry, it's important for subcontractors to be aware of what might be required of them on their job sites. Although no current laws require safety helmets over hard hats, Rancho Mesa will continue to offer updates as standards change.

Topics Your COVID-19 Training Should Cover

Author, Lauren Stumpf, Media Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

As states begin to lift COVID-19 restrictions and move into later phases of reopening plans, and companies begin to bring back their employees, it is important to take the necessary health and safety precautions in the workplace. Your staff should be well informed about safety precautions and resources to keep one another safe. When choosing a COVID-19 employee training, make sure it is comprehensive and includes all the necessary topics recommended by local, state and federal agencies.

The Risk Management Center offers a 10-15 minute training designed to ensure compliance with COVID-19 safety guidelines. This general awareness course on COVID-19 covers tips on how to reduce the risk of contracting the virus by using best practices. In addition, the course covers COVID-19 characteristics and related health and safety concerns.

The COVID-19 General Awareness Online Training topics include:

• COVID-19 Characteristics

• CDC-Recommended Basic Precautions

  • Tips for Limiting Exposure

  • Proper Hand Washing

  • Social Distancing

  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

  • Cross Contamination

• Employer Responsibilities

  • Employee Temperature Checks

  • Face Masks

• Importance of proper disinfecting and sanitation

  • Recommended Chemicals

  • What to Clean and Disinfect

• Working-from-Home Ergonomics

• Federal Assistance for COVID-19 Related Leave

  • Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)

  • Paid Sick Leave

  • Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

This online training is offered for free to Rancho Mesa clients. Contact the Client Services department at (619) 438-6869 to learn more about the COVID-19 General Awareness training.

For up-to-date COVID-19 information and HR resources please visit Rancho Mesa’s COVID-19 Information Page.

Don’t Trim Down Your Safety Procedures

Author, Rory Anderson, Account Executive, Landscape Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Trees require regular maintenance to ensure their health and safety. Dead or diseased trees must be cut down in order to prevent injuries to people or damage to nearby structures. Maintaining trees through trimming is a dangerous task, even for experienced professionals. Unfortunately, accidents do occur. The three most common types of serious accidents experienced by tree trimmers are falls, electrocution, and being struck by falling objects.

Falls

Falls are a common accident for tree trimmers. They can occur by slipping off of a ladder, falling from a roof, or falling out of a tree. The typical fall victim is unsecured or not properly secured. Using proper personal protective equipment is essential in preventing falls.

Electrocution

The risk of electrocution is very high when working around power lines. Some trees are planted near overhead power lines and there is a risk of electrocution to anyone trimming branches. The worker may accidentally touch the wires, or a falling branch could knock down the wires resulting in a tree trimmer touching the lines. The most common type of victim violates minimum approach distances and makes contact with the power lines through a conductive tool/object such as pruning shears. Training employees on minimum approach distances and proper trimming techniques when working around power lines can help prevent electrocution.

Falling Objects

According to the Centers for Disease Control, being struck by a falling object is the most reported tree trimming accident. A falling object is typically an entire tree or its branches/limbs, but it could also be loose equipment like a chain saw. Most victims are struck by a tree or tree limb after it falls in an unexpected direction; however, careless accidents do occur in specified drop zones. Communication between employees in the tree and on the ground is imperative to ensure the safety of all.

Tree trimming professionals face dangerous hazards on a daily basis and it is extremely important to take precautionary safety measures to make sure that they are doing everything they can to reduce risk. Safety training materials for tree trimmers are available through the Risk Management Center.

For information about Rancho Mesa's TreeOne™ program, contact Rory Anderson at (619) 937-0164.

Simple Steps to Developing a Personal Protective Equipment Program

Author, Jeremy Hoolihan, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

In the workplace, employees can be exposed to potentially harmful hazards. Identifying these hazards and using precautionary measures such as personal protective equipment (PPE) can mean the difference between a safe jobsite and an injury.

PPE “is equipment worn to minimize exposure to a variety of hazards,” according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) booklet on the subject. Examples of PPE include gloves, foot and eye protection, earplugs, hard hats, respirators and full body suites.

Implementing a PPE program can greatly reduce the chances of workplace injuries and increase a business’s productivity.

A PPE Program consists of three main components:

1. An assessment of the workplace hazards and procedures, and determining what PPE will be used to protect employees.
2. Employee training.
3. Documentation of hazard assessment and employee training.

Conducting a Hazard Assessment

The OSHA Personal Protective Equipment Standard (29 CFR 1910.132-138) requires that employers ensure appropriate PPE is “provided, used, and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition whenever it is necessary” to protect workers from hazards. Employers are required to assess the workplace to determine if hazards that require the use of personal protective equipment are present or are likely to be present. The following information will aid in the hazard assessment process:

1. Develop a Hazard Assessment Checklist (a sample is available in the Risk Management Center) to identify exposures in the workplace that could injure a specific body part such as eyes, face, hand, arms, feet, legs, body, head, or hearing.  Once you have identified the potential exposures, include the required PPE to minimize or eliminate the exposure.
2. Conduct a walk-through survey of the workplace and complete the information on the Hazard Assessment Checklist. The purpose of the survey is to identify sources of hazards to workers such as chemical exposures, harmful dust, sharp objects, electrical hazards, etc.  
3. Select suitable PPE.  Should an employer determine that PPE is necessary, they are then required to ensure that it is available and used. It is not enough to select PPE and witness its use, however.  Employers must also make sure that the PPE is suitable for protection from the identified hazards, is properly fitted, and is not defective or damaged in any way.

Employee Training

Before doing work which requires PPE, employees must be trained to know the following:

1. When PPE is necessary.
2. The type of PPE that is necessary.
3. How the PPE is properly worn.
4. PPE's limitations.
5. How to properly care, maintain, and disposal of the PPE.

Written Verification of Hazard Assessments and Employee Training

Employers are responsible for ensuring that employees are trained in the use of PPE and must provide written certification to that effect. Employers must also certify in writing that the employees understand the training.  Also, in general, employers must provide required PPE at no cost to employees. 

A large majority of workplace injuries are preventable through the implementation of a PPE Program.  It is the employer’s responsibility to keep their employees adequately protected at all times. After all, it is certainly difficult to imagine a firefighter performing his or her duties without a helmet, boots, gloves and other necessary protective equipment.

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services has expertise in risk management for the construction industry.  We can provide you with assistance in developing a PPE Program, as well as other risk management and insurance needs. Please contact me with any questions at (619) 937-0174 or jhoolihan@ranchomesa.com.