Operator Safety - Wastewater Operators - page 11

clearly defined. Moreover, the plant's individual safety programs must
be enforceable . Without enforcement, safety cannot and will not become
part of the organization's culture.
Some of the OSHA safety programs are required at all facilities. In
the safety program design phase, keep in mind that writing a safety pro-
gram to comply with a particular mandate is only part of the requirement.
Employees must be trained on the organization's safety programs. As a
matter of fact, more than 100 specific training programs are mandated
by OSHA, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Department of
Transportation (DOT) regulations. The key thing to remember is that
these training programs are not optional; if your employees perform
tasks covered by these regulations, you must provide the specified safety
training. Before further discussing the training of workers to meet com-
pliance, let's take a look at the safety programs that might be needed for
a particular wastewater facility.
1.13.1 hazard Communication: The right
to Know law (29 Cfr 1910.1200)
If your workers come into contact with hazardous chemicals in your
workplace, OSHA mandates that they have a “right to know” what chemi-
cals they are working with or around. This employee “right to know”
requirement is formally known as the OSHA Hazard Communication
(HAZCOM) standard. This standard requires that the manufacturers,
importers, and distributors of hazardous chemicals must transmit
important information to employees in the form of container labels and
material safety data sheets (MSDSs). The information contained on the
label or MSDS sheet must clearly state the possible physical or health
hazards of each chemical.
1.13.2 Control of hazardous energy:
lockout/Tagout (29 Cfr 1910.147)
Lockout/tagout refers to the control of energy. These energy sources
include electrical, chemical, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal, and poten-
tial energy (e.g., energy that is stored in a compressed spring). Lockout/
tagout procedures are designed to prevent accidents and injuries caused
by the accidental release of energy. All wastewater treatment facilities
are required to have a written lockout/tagout procedure. Lockout/tagout
procedures can prevent needless deaths and serious injuries to work-
ers. The plant's lockout/tagout procedure must be the only acceptable
method used to de-energize equipment and machinery and control the
release of potentially hazardous energy.
1.13.3 Confined space entry (29 Cfr 1910.146)
Confined space entry and the wastewater treatment and collection
industry go hand in hand. Facilities where confined space entry occurs
must have a confined space program. Whether the confined space is