Health and Safety Report – April 2022
April 28, 2022 – National Day of Mourning
Marked annually in Canada on April 28, the National Day of Mourning is dedicated to remembering those who have lost their lives due to a workplace tragedy or suffered or experienced a work-related injury or illness on the job. It is also a day to collectively renew our commitment to improve health and safety in the workplace and prevent further injuries, illnesses, and deaths.
Our workplace experienced a tragic fatality on October 22, 2021, of a highly skilled and respected man named Dan Sevcik. Since COVID restrictions last fall limited contact during his visitation and service, Dan’s family has requested as part of their grieving and healing process, to participate in the National Day of Mourning on April 28, 2022, by coming to our plant during the morning and afternoon shift changes to hand out WSIB ribbon stickers to commemorate and remember Dan, and to help us reflect on the significance of the National Day of Mourning for all workers. Plant Leadership has honoured their request, and Dan’s family will be in the West clock house for anyone who wishes to come say hello and pay their respects.
Oct 22, 2021, Fatality Investigation & JHSC Recommendations Update
The Joint Health and Safety Committee presented 24 written recommendations to the Company regarding the fatality that occurred at our Plant on Oct. 22, 2021. These JHSC recommendations are tracking to closure on the JHSC minutes posted in each clock house and the following items we have reported closed at the March & April Plant Safety Review Board.
(1.)(A.)(1) – Energy Control Layouts and Lockout Requirements are not common or consistent for similar machines in different departments and should be revised. Ensure common and consistent requirements for Comau machines in Gen V and GF6: Recommended changes to 8 differences between the two department ECLs. Management Response: Yes – Energy Control Committee to review and standardize ECL’s. Dept IE’s to update by 31-March-22. Working with both B/Ts, the recommended revisions were completed so ECLs are now common between departments with minor variances due to design differences of the machines of M1/M2 Doors. Action to Perform, and verification for VF54 valve to purge stored energy in air reservoir tank for Y-Axis counterbalance cylinder are now common with the valve to be left in the open position. VF54 valve is not required to be locked in the open position, since A-1 will already be locked out, and stored air bled and verified as per A3.
(1.)(B.) – Review All Department’s Energy Control Layout Panel Audits. ECL Panel Audits be made Safety PMs for tracking to completion. ECL Panel Audits use common Job Plan Plant wide with checklist. Management Response: Yes – ECL Panel Audits to be Safety PMs by 31-March-22. ECC to review and standardize ECL Panel Audits by 31-March-22 – track to completion. 5-Apr-22 – All departments panel audit PMs are Safety PMs, and all departments Maximo job plans are common as discussed in the ECC. Panel Audits are w/ BTs to roll out.
(1.)(C.) – Ensure Font size on all STCPP Energy Control Layouts is large enough to be easily read. Print and laminate ECLs on 11”X17” or other suitable paper when large amount of information contained on an ECL results in small font that is difficult to read. Determine appropriate font size as per Plant Medical. (Jaeger eye chart process J7 – 20/60) and write requirements into PS-2. Management Response: Yes – ECC to review and standardize process by 30-March-22 – track to completion. New ECLs on new machines etc. will be printed on 11″X 17″ going forward for anything with more than 4 energy sources. ECC agreed to update Panel Audit questions – Added new line item #13 – “Is ECL text size large enough to be easily read”. There are more than 2800 existing ECLs in the plant that will be updated if identified during annual ECL audit or through the ESCP.
(VI.)(A) – Upgrade STCPP Skilled Trades Employees and Maintenance Managers Training on High-Risk Tasks and Hazard Recognition. Deliver Global Workplace Safety Hazard Recognition training to all STCPP Skilled Trades Employees and Maintenance Managers. Including training to identify when a PTSP is required, how to identify and document hazards unique to the task, and how to complete a PTSP in conjunction with the G/L. Track Global Safety training completion on Level 2 scorecard. Management Response: No – A condensed Safety Talk will be developed by 30-June-22 and delivered to the Skilled Trades and employees by 30-Nov-22 to discuss high-risk tasks and hazard recognition for annual training as per Item #21-04-(VI.)(B).
(VI.)(D) – Comprehensive communication, training and follow-up of GCTA and In-plant Incident Notifications – Management Response: Yes – Incident and GCTA Notification template and TIS created for process. PCN notices to be tracked by Safety Department. Tracking sheet to be posted on Safety SharePoint site. Process reviewed and approved by JHSC on 4-Jan-22.
(XI.)(b) – Engineering change to all SCTPP Comau Urane and SmartDrive machines counterbalance cylinders to prevent piston from escaping top of cylinder. Install an engineered ring at the top of the counterbalance cylinder sleeve capable of withstanding and preventing the release of the piston from the cylinder bore, in case the events of the October 22, 2021, incident are ever repeated – Management Response: No – Central Mfg Eng and Comau reviewed the feasibility of engineering a change to all STCPP Comau Urane and SmartDrive machines counterbalance cylinders to prevent piston from escaping top of cylinder. Comau cannot engineer a solution to contain that amount of energy release, there is no solution envisioned at this time. Discussions with Comau, Central and Plant Engineering are ongoing exploring options for improving the safety of all Comau machines as part of Item # 20-04-(XI.)(a)
(VIII.) – Moved from JHSC Item # 20-10 (opened 6-Oct-20) Need strategy and action plan for improving the plant safety culture to reduce and reverse unsafe working conditions that have become reluctantly accepted. JHSC to develop a joint process, such as jointly conducted Diagonal Slice meetings with Senior Management, to conduct a thorough study of and make recommendations for improving the Safety Culture of STCPP Operations. Management Response: Yes – The Plant Director and Assistant Plant Director initiated weekly diagonal slice meetings with the Skilled Trades to engage in conversations and solicit feedback focused on Hazardous Energy Control. Unifor Health and Safety Representative and Maintenance Shop Committeeperson have been invited to participate. Their goal is to talk with every Tradesperson in the Plant, both legacy and new hire, and meetings are scheduled every week until complete. Process has been communicated to the site in the January 2022 Unifor Health and Safety Report. Feedback and CI opportunities are driven by the Plant Director – further discussion with JHSC – The Plant Director reports STCPP Level 1 Safety BPD has 4 goals in 2022 for Safety Culture Change including A/Ms to host diagonal slice meetings with Trades – 1 each shift (three total in month) – The Plant Director agreed to consider continuing weekly Trades diagonal slice meetings and extending to incorporate authorized Production EEs to solicit their feedback for CI opportunities.
We will continue to report closure of the remaining recommendation as the process unfolds. The MOL incident investigation is still open and could remain open until October 22, 2022.
Unifor Health and Safety Rep Edward Steers, 905 641 6420, Cell/Text 905 658 3271, ed.steers@gm.com
Alternate Unifor Health and Safety Rep Richard Piper, 905 641 6505, PTT 7440029, richard.piper@gm.com