Health and Safety Report – Sept 2022
2022 STCPP Baseline Sound Survey
A site wide Baseline Sound Survey is currently scheduled for the week of Sep 19, 2022, to be conducted by an outside vendor. The last sound survey for the plant was conducted in 2014. A sitewide baseline survey is required by the Workplace Safety System at a minimum of every 5 years, even if no significant process changes have occurred. With the completion of the DCT project, the survey shall now proceed. Regional Industrial Hygiene is currently working on collecting team and OP information of all departments.
To enable the survey to collect accurate noise level data to identify areas that require countermeasures to reduce noise levels, or jobs that require workers to be placed in the hearing conservation medical surveillance program, sampling gear is needed to be worn by individuals while they are doing their jobs. If you are approached and asked to wear very simple sampling gear for a period of time during your shift, we encourage you to do so to help us generate accurate data. If you have questions please contact us.
Emergency Contact Information
The fatality of Oct 22, 2021 highlighted a deficiency of up-to-date emergency contact information for notifying next of kin when an employee is involved in a critical incident and is sent to hospital. With advances in technology many people have moved from home phones to cell phones and are no longer listed in the “Phone Book”. Also, people are reluctant to give up their cell phone number because they don’t want to be called by their G/L when they are at home for overtime etc.
We discussed options for sharing confidential personal information that will not be abused for purposes other than emergency contact of next of kin. We agreed that Workday is where Emergency Contact information should be updated, as it is easy and accessible. However, we stressed that this information is to be used only for emergency contact purposes. Plant Communication occurred 16-May-22 via email and SOS message that “This information is confidential and will only be provided to those who have a legitimate need to access it, such as in a health or safety emergency. It will not be used by GM for anything other than emergency notifications.”
This is likely a very important issue for your family, so they can be contacted if ever there is a time when you can’t contact them yourself. If you haven’t done so, please update your Emergency Contact Information in Workday. Any concerns or need help, please reach out.
Oct 22, 2021, Fatality Investigation & JHSC Recommendations Update
We reported on 7 of 24 written Joint Health and Safety Committee recommendations presented to the Company regarding the fatality that occurred at our Plant on Oct. 22, 2021. These recommendations are tracked on the JHSC minutes posted in each clock house and the following items we have reported closed at the June & July Plant Safety Review Board (SRB).
# 21-04 (VI.)(C) – Upgrade STCPP Skilled Trades Employees and Maintenance Managers Training on High-Risk Tasks and Hazard Recognition: Recommended to create Take the Wheel message for High-risk tasks and hazard recognition and insert them into weekly rotation for Skilled Trades with validation to ensure effectiveness of Take the Wheel messages (table dropped vs PCN). Management Response: Yes, the JSTST will develop and deploy a standard process for “Take the Wheel” messages by 30-March-22. “Take the Wheel” messages are now in weekly SOS package sent to all departments as a weekly Maintenance specific Safety message. To validate effectiveness, a layered audit question was added in each Maint. Dept. plant wide to “Ask team member what the last “Take the Wheel Message” was. Could it be described?”
# 21-04 (IX.)(A)(2) – Create and complete a skills assessment and validation process for Skilled Trades cross-training conducted in 2017-2018 to accurately assess the capabilities of the Skilled Trades workforce as per GM-Unifor Master Agreement Doc. No. 102. Recommended to develop and promote a formal documented Mentoring program for Hourly Skilled Trades workers with validation: One potential training or upskilling opportunity would pair and track Hourly Skilled Trades Mentors who possess identified expert skill sets with Hourly Skilled Trades workers for specified periods of time for mentoring, training, and knowledge sharing. Management Response: Yes, each Business Team to have a designated Skilled Trade who has been identified with expert skill sets to provide mentoring, training, and knowledge sharing by 30-March-22. Skills Versatility Chart and Maximo to be used to track skills and validate. Mentors identified (including Tool Maker and Apprentice Skills) and in-place in each area. Changes made to SVC & Skilled Trades JIT Card posted on GMS One Page.
# 21-04 (IV.) – Comau Y-Axis Counterbalance Cylinder Replacement Job Plan submitted to MLSTD. Recommended Comau Y-Axis Counterbalance Cylinder Replacement Job Plan submitted to MLSTD as per Order No. 02928QSZX586 [OHSA 1990 Sec. 25(2)(h)] becomes permanent and standardize for all Comau machines Plant wide (Including GF6). All STCPP Maintenance Employees be informed of Gen V counterbalance requirements for job plan through PCN. Management Response: Yes, Gen V and GF6 to use common job plans for Comau Y Axis Counterbalance Cylinder Replacements by 30-March-22. All Maintenance Employees to be informed of Gen V counterbalance requirements for job plan through PCN by 30-March-22. JHSC reviewed job plan is now common and for communication, Job Plan will be incorporated into Task Specific PS2-SOP-03 and referenced on Maintenance PTSP.
# 21-04 (V.) – Stored Energy Tasks are not on Plant Significant Hazard & Risk Inventory and should be added. Recommended adding Stored Energy Tasks to Plant Significant Hazard & Risk Inventory and SHRI to be reviewed annually by JHSC and SRB:
– Open Item in quarterly Sub-SRB for report out by Element Champion.
– Develop Safe Operating Procedures (SOPs) and/or Safe Work Practices (SWPs) for each high-risk task category on Pre-Task Safety Plan (PTSP) Trigger Sheet.
– Actively Track High-risk Tasks on Departmental Level 2 Scorecard for report out at SRB.
– Actively review top 3 high-risk tasks and SOP / SWP risk reduction plans with all Employees in each department, and as risk reduction plans and reviews reduce risk on tracked high-risk tasks, actively focus on next highest- risk task, as per 3 & 4 above.
– Link appropriate SOP / SWP to Maximo job plan when assigning high-risk task in category starting with 3 high-risk tasks being tracked on Departmental Level 2.
Management Response: Notification of Action Change – Stored energy tasks are covered under the general category of PS2 Lockout Energy Control on the plant Significant Hazard & Risk Inventory. There are no plans to list all stored energy tasks on the SHRI. We will review the SHRI annually with the JHSC and SRB and we will actively track and review high-risk tasks on the SHRI quarterly with the Sub-SRB. We will develop SOPs and/or SWPs for each high-risk category on the SHRI and review them with affected employees by 31-May-22.
When assigning a high-risk task (per SHRI) we will provide them a SOP/SWP by 31-May-22.
The SHRI is a living document, changes to be reviewed at quarterly Sub-SRB and posted on SharePoint on Element 2.2 SIH Hazards and Risk Identification, Assessment and Control. SHRI has been updated. SOPs being developed as part of Item 21-04 (II.) PTSP Review. Task Specific and High-risk SOPs will be posted on SharePoint and referenced on PTSP.
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