In industrial environments like these at Fleet Readiness Middle East (FRCE), the correct use of non-public protecting tools (PPE) is essential to workforce security. From primary PPE like security glasses and earplugs to extra superior tools like respirators, every bit helps reduce an worker’s publicity to potential hazards related to the upkeep, restore and overhaul of navy plane and their parts.
An ongoing initiative to enhance understanding of PPE necessities at FRCE is making certain staff can rapidly and simply determine what kind of protecting tools is required to enter industrial areas of the depot. Excessive-visibility, one-foot-wide yellow bars with easy black pictograms depicting an space’s PPE necessities have been painted on the ground on the entrances to hangars, element outlets and different industrial areas, offering the workforce with a easy reference level.
The brand new ground markings are standardizing communication and eliminating the potential for confusion, which improves total office security, stated FRCE Commanding Officer Capt. James M. Belmont.
“These new PPE markings present clear, concise communication about what PPE is required on our hangar decks and in our outlets, and implementing this initiative is reflective of the wholesome security tradition at FRC East,” Belmont stated. “Security is without doubt one of the command’s high priorities, and our group is repeatedly looking for methods to enhance office security and occupational well being whereas aligning our processes and practices with forward-leaning aviation trade requirements.
“Conserving our workforce protected and wholesome affords the command a greater alternative to satisfy the mission, and even exceed expectations and return these plane and parts to the Fleet with sooner turnaround occasions,” Belmont continued. “It’s a win-win scenario and it begins, at its very primary core, with staff understanding what protecting gear to put on to maintain themselves protected of their jobs.”
For the reason that depot’s development through the World Battle II period, FRCE has seen many years of directives and laws concerning security signage, together with totally different interpretations of these laws. Mix that with the wide range of labor areas encompassed by FRCE’s amenities, and the duty of speaking the totally different PPE necessities in several areas can turn out to be more and more difficult, defined FRCE Security and Occupational Well being Division Director Angelo Owens.
“One of many points now we have labored with right here is attempting to speak to our staff when and the place they need to be sporting sure sorts of PPE, as a result of we’re a really giant facility and now we have an enormous variety of outlets with totally different necessities,” he stated. “And as you transition from one store to a different, relying on the kind of work being carried out, there could also be extra PPE necessities that weren’t current within the adjoining store you had been simply in.
“Attempting to label all of these issues and put up signage is difficult,” Owens continued. “So the thought is to have a scientific, efficient technique of communication. We’ve made a concerted effort to maintain issues so simple as attainable so we will successfully talk altering PPE necessities as a person transitions from one space to a different. By having this all through the ability, irrespective of the place somebody is at, the identical signage and nonverbal communication about what PPE is required is available with out having to talk to a store supervisor or seek the advice of an industrial hygiene survey – one can know by what’s displayed proper in entrance of them on the ground markings.”
The economic hygiene surveys function the place to begin for the PPE marking course of, Owens famous. An industrial hygiene survey analyzes, identifies and measures office hazards that may trigger illness, impaired well being or important discomfort in employees and helps remove or management them by applicable mitigation efforts. FRCE’s Industrial Hygiene Department has carried out surveys throughout the depot, and this data is used to label a diagram of the ability with the correct PPE markings for every space. This diagram is handed to FRCE’s Amenities Modernization Store, which is a part of the Amenities and Infrastructure Administration Division’s Common Facility Department, and the “Mod Squad” takes on the duties of prepping, portray and ending the world.
As a result of the group wanted to perform the job with out interrupting manufacturing, choosing the proper merchandise for the job and prepping the areas for paint introduced the largest challenges, stated Common Facility Department Head Mike Cundiff.
“We knew we couldn’t shut down our manufacturing areas to do that, however lots of the ground coatings utilized in high-traffic areas have lots of odor, or lengthy curing occasions, or each,” Cundiff defined. “We ended up going with a coating that was mainly invented for the Coast Guard. They paint boats and deckways with it, and the great factor is that after you prep the world to be painted the primary time, you by no means have to return and sand it down once more – you’ll be able to paint straight over it.”
This characteristic is beneficial in a dynamic surroundings like FRCE, the place outlets may transfer from one location to a different based mostly on an plane line’s service life and altering workload necessities. It’s particularly necessary contemplating the Modernization Store has to organize the areas for portray throughout off hours, as a way to whereas protecting manufacturing shifting on the plane and element strains.
“We are able to’t cease work on the plane strains or within the again outlets, for that matter,” stated Modernization Store Supervisor Will Bradley. “There have been lots of challenges early on, and we pulled out all of the stops to make it occur. Now we have lots of group members with lots of expertise, and we relied on their enter and good concepts, as nicely.”
The portray itself has gone easily, Cundiff famous. The group can simply paint the 12-inch yellow strip after which lay down the pictogram stencils, created by the depot’s graphic arts group, and paint over it. As soon as the paint is dry, they peel the stencil off and apply the topcoat, which cures in about 4 hours, Bradley stated.
The amenities group has approached the big process of marking all of FRCE’s industrial areas by breaking it down into sections, and has already accomplished 4 out of a complete of seven. The outcomes of the hassle have been clear to members of each the security and amenities groups.
“We’ve gotten suggestions from staff and so they say they like the brand new system, as a result of it’s not only a signal on the wall that turns into wallpaper if you see it on daily basis,” stated Lead Security Specialist Brian Pounders. “That is vivid, it’s totally simple to see and it helps them keep in mind what PPE to put on once they stroll into the outlets.”
Owens stated the simplified pictograms assist clarify issues clearly, and in addition remove many potential obstacles to communication, together with language or cultural obstacles. Cundiff stated the pictograms used within the markings had been chosen with this in thoughts, and Bradley agreed that the common nature of the brand new PPE markings was certainly one of its greatest advantages.
“The brand new PPE markings come in step with what you’re seeing globally in relation to security techniques, the place they’ve gone to pictograms for quick notification of hazards,” he stated. “This isn’t only for industrial amenities, nevertheless it definitely is smart right here at FRC East. It’s undoubtedly clarified some gray areas, and has put the command in step with world and trade greatest practices.”
Ultimately, crucial facet of the brand new PPE marking system is that’s helps preserve staff protected, which helps the command accomplish its mission extra successfully and effectively, Owens defined.
“We’ve seen a major decline in office accidents over the previous 10 years and, at this level in 2023, we’re monitoring decrease, on common, than final 12 months or the 12 months earlier than,” Owens stated. “Utilizing correct PPE has definitely helped contribute to that discount in accidents.
“Worker security is a self-serving initiative,” he continued. “Accidents equate to misplaced workdays for the command, so fewer accidents imply extra days labored in help of our nation’s warfighters. Once we have a look at our numbers, it’s clear that what we’re doing is working. This new marking system will solely improve that effort and supply extra help to the profitable security administration system at FRC East.”
