VCAT February 2020 Occupational Safety and Health at NIST

• FY20 Key Metrics to Date

• Incident and Near Miss Data

• Workplace Inspection

• Special Projects

• Slips, Trips and Falls

• Targeted Communications

• Crane Safety

• Contractor Safety

• Status of Plans for FY20

Elizabeth Mackey

Chief Safety Officer
NIST Safety Management System: Status of Planned Suborders

Office of Safety Health and Environment

Directive 

Category

Effective 

Suborders

FY20 Planned Remaining

Occupational Safety and 

Health

26 8 4

Environmental 5 5 4

Fire and Life Safety 2 2 0

Radiation Safety 1 1 2 All

Effective

Suborders FY20

FY21

OSH 

Effective

Suborders

FY20

FY21
FY20 NIST Incident and Near Miss Data FY20 to Feb. 1, 2020

Type Number of Cases # of Affected 

Staff

OSHA 

Recordable 

Cases*

Injury 21 21 5

Illness 1 1 1

Exposure 1 1 NA

Near Miss 19 NA NA

Property Damage 5 NA NA

Spill/Release 3 NA NA

Contamination by 

Radioactivity 1 NA NA

Other 8 NA NA

59 23 6

*Two of the OSHA Recordable Cases are DART (days away or restricted) cases

Labwork / 

Research, 4, 19%

Manual Material 

Handling, 4, 19%

Walking, 2, 9%

Using Door, 2, 9%

Office Activity, 2, 

9%

Using Stairs / 

Steps, 2, 10%

Climbing Ladder, 

1, 5%

Maintenance 

(Facilities), 1, 5%

Travel, 1, 5%

IT Work, 1, 5%

Janitorial, 1, 5%

Activity Type (21 Total Injuries)
FY20 NIST Injury Data: Activity Type and Event Type

Struck By, 7, 

33%

STF, 4, 19%

Overexertion, 

3, 14%

Struck Against, 

2, 9%

Fall From 

Height, 1, 5%

Caught In, 1, 

5%

Exposure to 

Cryogen, 1, 5%

Exposure to Hot 

Surface, 1, 5%

Exposure to 

Electricity, 1, 

5%

Event Type (21 Injuries)

Bruises/Contusio

ns, 5, 24%

Cuts / 

Lacerations, 4, 

19%

Sprains/Strains, 

4, 19%

Fracture, 3, 14%

Abrasions, 2, 9%

Burn, 2, 10%

Electrical Shock, 

1, 5%

FY20 YTD- Injury Numbers by Injury Type
Recordable case (RC)

• To a first approximation, a workrelated injury or illness that results 

in any of the following: death, days 

away from work, restricted duty, 

transfer to another job, medical 

treatment beyond first aid, loss of 

consciousness. 

DART case

• A work-related injury or illness that 

results in any of the following: Days 

Away from work, Restricted duty, 

Transfer to another job. 

• Data includes Federal Employees and Associates

• Standard Threshold Shift (STS) or hearing loss cases excluded in data for: FY15 (5), FY16 (8), FY17 (3), 

FY18 (8), FY19 (1), and FY20 (1) *

Data shown are for FY20:

Oct 1, 2019 to Feb 1, 2020

OSHA Recordable Cases; Days Away from work, on Restricted duty or Transferred
• Video– “Walking in a winter wonderland”

• “Walk like a penguin” handout and website

• OFPM treating slippery areas

• Informing staff to use treated areas and not take shortcuts

• Telework policy permitted increased use of telework during 

weather-related events

• Spill pads available in hallways, umbrella bags at entries

• Marking areas of uneven surfaces, repairing surfaces

• “Head in the game” minimize distractions while walking

Causal factors have included: out-door slippery conditions; uneven surfaces indoors and outdoors; taking shortcuts; lack of situational 

awareness or not “paying attention.” This campaign addressed most causes.

Slips, Trips and Falls Campaign
Incident Data – Information Campaigns from OSHE, Amplified by OUs

Important Safety Guidelines Regarding UPS 

Device Lifespan and Replacement

To reduce the risk of UPS devices overheating 

due to the age of the device, OISM will be 

following the manufacturer’s guidelines...

A Potential Hazard Under Your Desk: An Aging UPS

As the battery inside an uninterruptible power 

supply (UPS) ages, it can pose a potential hazard. 

Learn more.

Lessons Learned: Don’t Judge a Package by 

Its CoverLessons Learned: Don’t Judge a 

Package by Its Cover

MML stakeholders worked with OSHE to 

updated our training: Receiving Hazardous 

Chemical Packages at a NIST Workplace.

MML developed a training presentation for 

their staff and held sessions on Safety Day
4 Buried Utility Incidents Involving Contractors in Boulder

OSHE and OFPM collaborated on Incident Investigation

OFPM Actions: 

• Provided Colorado requirements for utility locates to 

CORs and contractors

• Contract to provide accurate utility map of Boulder site

• New safety hire who may assist with construction site 

oversight when needed

OSHE Actions:

• New Excavation Safety Program and Utility Marking 

Procedure provided for review by stakeholders in OFPM 

• Non-R&D Contractor Safety Program planned for FY20

Contractor Safety– Success Plan in the Making
Workplace Inspection Program

Workplace inspections are 

performed by staff with assistance 

from OSHE safety professionals

Annual inspections of offices and 

office-like spaces

Biannual inspections of spaces with 

higher hazards including labs and 

shops 

Data are recorded using either an 

iPad app and checklist or using 

computer database to record 

deficiencies
Workplace Inspection Program

Ten Most Frequent Types of Deficiencies during the last half of FY19

Data are analyzed to provide information to 

NIST leadership, and used by OSHE to provide 

targeted support

Examples include: 

• Assistance with office inspections 

• Guidance on identifying and remediating 

common electrical safety deficiencies 

• Signs to post blocked electrical panels

• Guide and training on chemical labeling
Crane Safety: Short Term Success Story

• A Division Safety Representative was concerned about the safety of seven 

“arch beam” cranes in Building 304. He learned that this type of crane was 

discontinued in the early 1960’s and had not been supported by any 

manufacturer since the early 1990’s. 

• The Division Safety Representative called an OSHE inspection team 

member, who recommended hiring an expert to perform non-destructive 

testing of the welds. 

• Results indicated that the welds were not dependable, and there was a 

high potential for the beam to fail while operating. 

• All seven cranes in Building 304 with weld failures were taken out-ofservice and will be replaced. Alternative equipment (e.g., gantry cranes, 

modified forklifts) was procured for use in the interim 

• As a result of this finding, NIST evaluated 14 additional arch beam cranes 

and determined that one of these must be replaced as well

Example of a failed arch beam crane from the web–

this is not a picture of a NIST crane. 

A catastrophic failure of this type of crane could have 

injured staff.

Failed weld
Crane Safety: Long Term Success Plan

• Crane Safety Program

• Out of Service Program

• Crane inspection process improvements

OSHE issued a draft Crane Safety Program, a draft 

Out-of-Service Program and worked with OFPM 

to improve the routine inspections of cranes 

performed by contractors. OSHE continues to 

work with customers to implement crane safety 

requirements and facilitate inspections.
Safety Culture

• Safety Climate Assessment – Planned for summer 2020

• Safety Day– Leadership Involvement and Commitment – Gaithersburg Safety Day held Oct 24; Boulder planned for May 7

• Management Safety Observation Visits–Video of managers discussing the importance of safety conversations; ppt training updated

Improve Access to Safety Information 

• New website with information in easy to access HTML format– Content 50% drafted; planned launch October 2020

Safety Management System

• Occupational Safety Programs: 7 of 9 planned programs on schedule; added others to respond to incidents

• SMS Programs : Management Review Procedure under review; Documents and Records

• Data analysis: Shift to risk-based metrics for incidents, workplace inspection and other data 

Assessments and Benchmarking (FY19 internal assessments; FY20 external focus)

• Other government agency benchmarking with CDC and DOE 

• ISO 45001 informal assessment, leveraging TAG member relationships

Partnership with Office of Facilities and Property Management to address ageing infrastructure and facilities safety - Ongoing

Progress on FY20 Plans