October 2017, Vol. 244, No. 10

TechNotes

Verifying Worker Training Onsite to Boost Safety

Pipeline and energy companies are safety-conscious for good reason. Fewer accidents mean fewer delays, higher worker morale, lower insurance costs and avoidance of OSHA fines. Ensuring that workers do only jobs they’re trained for is one of the most critical steps in a safety program. An untrained worker who botches a job may injure himself and others, damage expensive equipment, cause fires and release hazardous materials. But in the rush to get things done, proper vetting can get overlooked. How can supervisors in the field know for sure about whether a particular worker is qualified to do a particular task or operate a certain piece of machinery?  Many workers, eager to show their stuff