4/26/2015

MachineSafety:Crossingtheyellowline|ControlEngineering

MachineSafety:Crossingtheyellowline
Yellowlinetheoryversuscomplacency:Onatrainplatformfewpeoplecrosstheyellowline,withoutanyspecializedtraining,
yet,inamanufacturingenvironment,accidentshappenregularlyafterpeoplecrosstheyellowlineandevenmoreformidable
barriers.Why?
JBTitus

09/13/2014

The"yellowline"inmanufacturinghasbeenaroundforaverylongtime.But,a
"yellowline"isfrequentlytestedinmanufacturingversusthe"yellowline"ona
trainplatform.Dopeopleunderstandthe"yellowline"theorydifferently?Both
carryhighpotentialhazardlevels.
Manyofushavestoodonabusytrainplatformandwitnessedcrowdsconforming
tostandingbehindtheyellowline(oroutoftheyellowzone)alongtheplatform,
wheretrainspullinforpeopletodisembarkfromandboardthetrain.Typically
therearenosigns,rovingpolice,training,orregulationsgoverningthesehighrisk
areas.Thecrowdsofpeopleareoftendistractedbychildren,phones,
newspapers,conversations,andoccasionallyrushingtocatchascheduledtrain.
Yet,veryfewincidentsoccur.Let'sfaceit:Thosewhodoaccidentallyfalloverthe
yellowlineintoanoncomingtrainhavelikelypurchasedtheirlasttickets.
Compensationtheory
Isthisahumanriskcompensationtheorysuggestingthatpeopletypicallyadjusttheirbehaviorinresponsetotheperceived
levelofrisk?
Industry(inmyopinion)hasawholedifferentapproachtothe"yellowline"
theory.Ibelievethatpotentialknownhazardsinmanufacturingfacilitiesare
identifiedindifferentways,primarilyviaregulations,codes,standards,and
companypolicy.Yellowlinesareonewayhazardsaredesignatedinindustry.
Hazardsbehindtheyellowlinesinindustryareperceiveddifferentlythanona
trainplatform.Forexample,peoplehavejobsrunningmachinerybehindthe
yellowlinesalongwalkwaysandaislesinmanufacturingfacilities.Somepeople
areprohibitedfromcrossingtheseyellowlines,andothersarepermitted.Those
permittedmusthavespecialtraining,insomecaseshavespecialpersonal
protectiveequipment(PPE)protection,andinmostcasesbeanemployeewith
specialauthorization.Yet,manymoreincidentsoccurincomparisontothetrain
platform.[subhead]
Possibleanswer
Perhapsthishumanriskcompensationtheorysuggests
thatpeopletypicallyadjustbehavior(complacency)inresponsetotheperceivedlevelofrisk
accompaniedwithfrequencyofexposure.
Theseverydifferentcharacteristicsofhumanbehaviorneedtobeconsideredwhensettingsafety
policies.Seequestionsbelowandpostyourcommentsbelow.
J.B.Titus,CertifiedFunctionalSafetyExpert(CFSE),writestheControlEngineeringMachineSafety
Blog.EditedbyMarkT.Hoske,contentmanager,ControlEngineering,mhoske@cfemedia.com.
ONLINE
Editorquestions
1)Ifpenaltiesweremoresevereintheworkplace,wouldtherebefeweraccidents?Thatis,ifemployeesknewthatcrossing
theyellowlineoncemeanttheyhavepunchedtheirlasttimeclockforthatemployer,wouldthatreducerisk?
2)Doemployeesknowwhatinfractions,wouldresultindismissal?
3)Safetypoliciessafetymarkings,signs,andguardsandsafetytechnologies:Thegreatestoftheseis...?
Replyinthecommentssectionbelow.
www.controleng.com/blogshasrelatedmachinesafetyexplanations.
ONLINE
ASSEProfessionalSafetyJournalNearMissReporting,May2013
OSHAsearchfornearmiss
Contact:www.jbtitus.comfor"SolutionsforMachineSafety."
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