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The Sounds of Safety
MY first exposure to alarm warning
situations was watching the robot
on “Lost in Space” alert space travelers
to immediate danger. The message is
the same today: Stop what you are doing,
immediately react to the tone and sound,
and act accordingly (avoid the hazardous
situation by responding correctly). Do your
employees know the sounds of safety at
your workplace?
One facility where I worked utilized a
steam whistle for shift beginning, lunch,
and end of shift. Sadly, it was also the emergency
alarm for fire or catastrophic situations.
Ten minutes before a shift’s scheduled
end one day, a tanker flipped near the
facility. The alert operator sounded the
steam whistle as he had been instructed,
issuing pulsing long and short blasts. Many
employees did not pay attention or realize
the message being relayed and thought the
shift was over, so they headed out—potentially
into the danger zone (until emergency
crews blocked traffic).
Retraining and changing the system
prevented this from happening in the
future. A Public Address backup was also
put into place. All too often, we learn what
does not work through trial and error. The
smart safety manager learns from these
errors and makes the safety structure
stronger so there will not be a “next time.”
Safety has to keep up with changing technology
and, in fact, be a leader for constant
positive change.
Interpreting the Symphony of Warnings
Bells, chirps, beeps, horns, whistles,
chimes; there are many sounds for different
uses. They may be back-up alarms, fire
alarms, proximity alarms, height alarms,
signals for radiation exposure, hazardous or
toxic leaks, confined space and mining
workspaces with air monitoring equipment,
processing equipment start-up signals,
emergency notifications of an injury,
special verbal instructions over a PA
system, workplace violence or lost-child
alerts, electronic storm warning alarms,
tornado or tsunami warning signals. Can
you identify all of them? Some, such as
those used in public areas, are gentle tones
to reduce panic. Others are blaring sirens
that demand response.
Whether mandated by a specific code
requirement or recommended as a really
great idea, alarms and warning devices make
our employees and others in the area safer
by providing instant alert status of
impending problems or danger. These
reminders serve as a backup to our senses,
which can be faulty or weakened because of
health, attention span, or previous exposure.
Many workplaces have situations in
which employees need to be alerted,
including blasting operations, marine
operations, construction sites with many
pieces of heavy equipment in motion,
warehouse operations, industrial processes
moving product in narrow aisles, vehicles
at loading docks, retail operations, public
gathering places, high-security areas,
parks, and medical centers. The list is endless.
Our employees are ultra-busy and
focused on the task at hand, so they may
not be paying attention to movements
around them. Or they may be unaware of
hazardous conditions occurring or developing
in another area that could affect
escape or avert injury. (Just imagine if a
campuswide warning for evacuation had
been available and sounded quickly when
gunfire erupted recently at Virginia Tech.
The campus “locked down,” which may
have saved many from moving into harm.)
| WARNING SIGNAL CHECKLIST |
| ? Yes |
? No |
Has your workplace been assessed for need of warning sounds? Evaluate
natural and man-made hazards,
machinery, evacuation routes
and systems, process handling, and
special or unique situations. |
| ? Yes |
? No |
Is your alarm system designed based on the level and type of hazards
present at the site? It is monitored
and updated as needed? |
| ? Yes |
? No |
Does this assessment include compliance with ADA and needs for
visual as well as audible alarms?
Are supervisors aware of those on
site who are hearing-impaired? |
| ? Yes |
? No |
Are all employees advised as to
what the sounds mean? What about
visitors and contractors? |
| ? Yes |
? No |
Are employees advised as to actions
needed to respond to the alarm,
such as evacuation, special PPE,
sheltering in place, safe locations for
workplace violence situations, etc.? |
| ? Yes |
? No |
Are employees who do not speak
English advised as to meanings of
alarms and responses to them?
Do you include all languages on
the site? |
| ? Yes |
? No |
Is each sound specific, and do employees understand how to get
additional information if needed? |
| ? Yes |
? No |
Are volunteers, temporary
employees, and contractors advised
as to sounds, meanings, and
needed actions? Is there a process
for constant turnover of crews? |
| ? Yes |
? No |
When alarm styles are changed or
updated (for example, fire alarms
changed from bell to chimes), do
you consult the local authority
having jurisdiction? Is this documented
in safety minutes, etc.? |
| ? Yes |
? No |
Do employees who wear hearing
protection in the workplace understand
they should still be able to
hear the warning sounds? Is an
alternative, such as having a watch
person in place, available in the
event there are problems? (Usually
it can be solved by trying a different
model of hearing protection. Other
warning system levels can be
adjusted if needed.) |
| ? Yes |
? No |
Are employees aware of potential
for disciplinary action for disabling
or circumventing alarms that are
required, such as disabling a forklift’s
back-up alarm or turning down
the Public Address system? |
| ? Yes |
? No |
Is there a backup plan in the event
your primary warning is not operational
(for example, air horns are
used if the PA system is not functioning,
a lookout is posted for
firewatch, etc.)? |
Think back to your first warning
sound. For some, it will be the civil
defense sirens during wartime or later
atomic war preparation drills; for others,
verbal Public Address systems or a bell,
klaxon fire alarms, fire trucks and rescue
ambulances with wailing sirens, or the old
reliable—a lookout yelling a warning. We
all need such monitoring, depending on
our work. We need reminders because we
become accustomed to situations quickly
and overlook danger until someone or
something such as an alarm jars us back
into reality.
Why Aren’t They Listening?
Years ago, I asked which was worse, ignorance
or apathy? In our workplaces, there
are employees (full time, part time, temporary,
or contractors) who have no idea what
the alarm really means and may not know
how to react, such as by evacuating. So they
cower and wait for instructions. More
dreaded is the apathetic employee who
simply does not react or care, thinking the
situation could not affect him, other than
by annoying his work day routine.
Getting the message to employees and
visitors can be challenging. Some workplaces
with unique hazards have a specific
section in new employees’ orientation for
warnings, fire alarms, etc. I have seen a
warning sound and emergency action
checklist used for employees, contractors,
etc. during new-employee orientation (it’s
good documentation and a great idea).
Other companies have computer sound files
available so temporary workers can hear the
alarms on demand at the click of a button.
Deaf communities often have information
kiosks with scrolling messages and a
flashing light, in addition to audible
warning alerts. Posters or occasional
e-mails will help reinforce for the employees to listen up and pay attention to “something
different.” Tailgate meetings help construction
workers understand lives are on the line
if back-up alarms are disabled or otherwise
toned down. It is important to understand
after purchase that installation should be by
qualified sources. If the alarm does not work
when needed and how intended, the system
has failed because of human error, not
mechanical failure.
Make sure your efforts are ADA compliant.
Warning sounds are only one part of
a well-developed program of beacons, signals,
and sounds.
The most important thing is repeating
the training often. If employees are not
familiar with the sound, they may be confused
or, worse, ignore the alarm. Once a
year is not appropriate because employees
forget. Training has to be beyond simple
familiarity; it has to be second nature.
Challenge your safety committee to
enhance your employees’ knowledge of the
warning sounds at your workplace. Print
flyers, send e-mails, and improve. When
employees are discussing safety, they act
more safely.
This article originally appeared in the July 2007 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.