Document 0gMvE8K2O2Ma2pRky1n5DeXZJ

conoco Interoffice Communication To Maintenance DepartmentEmployees From J. A. DeBernardi Dare November 8, 1979 Subject Step-up TurnaroundLeadman Overtime Accounting I* The results of the recent ballot related to the subject accounting procedure is as follows: Total Votes Continue to account for overtime hours worked during turnaround periods for all 14 Maintenance Department employees as has been done in the past. Make no change to present procedures. Change the accounting procedure for overtime hours worked by step-up. Leadmen during plant turnaround periods such that hours worked in excess of other skill group employees would not be added to the overtime record which is maintained to determine the order of hold-over/call-out overtime. 9 Employees not returning a ballot 6 Therefore, the overtime accounting procedures presently used for step-up Leadmen during turnaround periods will not be changed. br Distribution Maintenance Bulletin Board Maintenance Supervisors Billy Stark Jim Holcomb Harry Garrison CCR 00006632A November 7, 1979 With nine months of 1979 behind us, it is timely for each of us to take a moment to review our safety related progress at the VCM Plant. The following comments are intended to highlight our safety achievements and acitvities during this period. I hope you will share this letter with your family such that they will also be aware of your accomplishments and dedication toward safety both on and off the job. As you read through this letter you should take great pride in the impressive list of 1979 accomplishments. However, please also give thoughtful con sideration to the significant challenge that faces each of us during the fourth quarter. I am referring to the planned December plant turnaround period. As with other turnarounds, safety awareness, dedication, performance and leadership of our permanent employees are the major ingredients that have assured an accident free work environment during these strained turn around periods. You will be the reason that the statistics compiled during this turnaround will show continued improvement over the past, and more importantly that injury and suffering will be avoided. Accident Experience Through the third quarter of 1979 the VCM Plant experienced 13 first-aid cases and 6 medical treatment cases, compared to 21 first-aid and 8 medical treatment cases for the same period in 1978, or a total reduction of 10 injuries. Putting these statistics on an injury frequency rate basis per million man hours worked shows a frequency of 1.53 for 1978 and 0.94 for 1979. Frequency rates less than one are statistically a much sought after performance standard within industry. The fact we have been able to achieve this statistic is a tribute to your efforts and an obvious demonstration that job safety planning can eliminate accidents while accomplishing efficient completion of a task. Safety awareness and planning are the keys to accident free performance, not luck. Safety Achievements On May 18, 1979 the VCM Plant completed five years of operation without a lost-time injury. The safety attitude and safe work practices of each employee CCR 000066325 Page 2 11/7/79 are the major factors contributing to this accomplishment. This is a notable achievement in which you should take great pride. In recognition of this achievement, a safety banquet and dance was held at the Lake Charles Country Club. In addition a gift catalog was distributed to each employee from which a gift of their choice was selected. Also, a commemorative belt buckle was awarded to each employee and should be worn with pride in the accomplishment. From what I could observe, all those attending the safety banquet had a good time and enjoyed the evening. I'm confident that through each of our efforts we will be able to repeat this event in 1980, after completion of our sixth consecutive year of operation without a lost time injury. The plant has received the Certificate of Merit from the Chemical Manufacturers Association, and the National Safety Council's Award of Merit both recognizing operation without occupational injury or illness involving days away from work. These new plaques have been added to our safety award display board located in the main-office foyer. When you are in the office, take a moment to look at this very impressive display which your efforts have made possible. During the first nine months of the year three injury-free months have been recorded. This represents a new record performance at the VCM Plant. Previously, we have recorded two injury-free months in one year on two occasions. Training Activities We now have a Certified First-Aid and Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Instructor at the VCM Plant. Wayne Cooper, Laboratory Technician has been certified as an instructor in both these areas. Since being certified, Wayne has been devoting some of his leisure time to the training of a number of community groups and organizations. If anyone is interested in having Wayne conduct a first-aid and/or CPR course for their group they should contact him directly for further information. During the third quarter twelve of the plant's maintenance department employees attended a 3-day training course related to Mobile Crane Safety and Rigging Fundamentals. The course was conducted by the Crane Inspection and Certification Bureau from Orlando, Florida. The information and techniques learned by these employees should further insure our ability to accomplish daily work tasks in a safe, injury free manner. Also, two supervisors attended the Texas A&M, 5-day Industrial Fire Fighting School at College Station. This is a continuation of our program to assure that VCM Plant personnel are properly trained to handle emergency situations resulting from fires in the plant. Off-the-Job Safety I have attached two interesting articles to this letter for your use. One CCR 000066326 Page 3 11/7/79 entitled "Speed" should be usable by all members of your family who are licensed drivers. The second should be interesting to the hunters in your family and particularly timely with the duck hunting season upon us. It is entitled "Heed Safety Before Firing". J. A. DeBernardi br CCR 000066327 SPEED Speed has long been regarded as the number one accident cause. We know chat when speed is reduced by strict enforcement, injuries also are reduced. Public officials, police officers, safety engineers, fleet supervisors, and drivers know that reduced speed usually means reduced death and destruction from accidents. Speed, per se, does not cause accidents! But speed sure helps to increase their severity. I am not an advocate of higher speeds, but I do urge that we be more specific concerning speed as an accident cause!. Speed is not the cause. But it is the environment in which the germs causing accidents best thrive and develop. Excessive speed affords less time to make a proper decision in the event of an emer gency. Higher speeds make it much more difficult to stop quickly, veer sharply, or give warnings. Any speed not commensurate with the average traffic flow, whether faster or slower, tends to cause situations which may lead to accidents, if and when something is done to help cause an accident. We desperately need to determine those specific things done wrongly or unsafely which cause speeding accidents. Part of the universal limitation on speed may be lifted if and when we identify those failures and learn how to safeguard against the real causes of speeding accidents. Following too closely, changing course suddenly, failure to check, failure to signal, easing back onto pavements, overdriving headlights, overloading brakes, fatigue, in attention - these are the specific unsafe acts which cause accidents. At higher speeds they produce especially severe ones. On this then we may agree - speed definitely determines the severity of the accident, even though it may not directly cause it. Most persons have not been taught how to drive fast. Some are actually incapable of driving safely at high speeds. Unless this principle is clearly understood by each driver, a dangerous misconception may be generated. We must attack the specific driving failures causing our speeding accidents. It does little good to cluck our tongues depre ciatingly at ''speeders". If we use sensible speeds, it will offset the necessity of reduced speed limits. We can eliminate need for police hiding behind billboards seeking quarry who insist on going faster than their brethren. We will eliminate the need to install governors on our vehicles to limit top speeds. CCR 000066323 Speed Page 2 Pilots aren't taught safe flying by employment of governors, police patrols, speed limits, and such. They are taught techniques for specific equipment and flying conditions. After they master one step, they may move onto another with a bigger and faster piece of equipment as the goal. Accuse any driver, following an accident, that he was going too fast, and you'll discover an instant willingness to argue the point. But identify what was improperly or unsafely done, while rolling along, and he may be more inclined to listen. Much of the ineffectiveness of well-intentioned safety programs stems from our practice of identifying accident causes by such generalizations as recklessness, negligence, carelessness, speed, and such. These words do not belong in the vocabularies of the professional driver. As speed goes up, control goes down. So when higher speeds are employed there are several considerations 1. You can't swerve as sharply. Speed makes quick turns and sharp swerves difficult or impossible. At 20 M.P.H. you may be able to chop the wheel sharply without hazard. Do this at high speed and you'll land upside down. The faster you go the more gradual your change of direction must be, if you are to stay on your wheels. 2. You can't turn as tight. Drivers who attempt to turn corners while going too fast swing out before the turn, because the speed will not permit turning as sharply as is necessary. A vehicle can be made to turn a very tight circle if it is done very slowly. That minimum circle grows larger as the vehicle speeds up. 3. You can't stop as quickly. Our senses deny what our in telligence accepts. At 10 M.P.H. we should be able to bring a vehicle to a stop in about nine feet. At double this speed (20 M.P.H.) the best braking distance is about 23 feet. 30 M.P.H. (three times as fast) requires five times the distance. At 40 M.P.H. (four times as fast) we'll do well to stop in 81 feet (nine times the distance required at one-fourth that speed)! At 50 M.P.H. there will be at least 133 feet of skid marks. At 60 M.P.H. this jumps to 206 feet; at 70, it will require 304 feet of skidding, if the tires will take that torture. To these stopping distances we must add the distance which we'll travel while thinking and reacting. An easy way to figure the approximate minimum stopping dis tances (thinking plus braking) is to remember that "speed of twenty times two is true". In other words, 20 M.P.H. times two equals 40 feet - the best stop at that speed. 000066329 CCR Speed Page 3 Now for each additional 10 miles per hour of speed, increase the multiple (2) by one-half: 20 M. P., H. 30 M.P. H. 40 M.P., H. 50 M.P., H. 60 M.P,, H, X2 X 2% = X3 = X 3% = X4 = 40 feet 75 feet 120 feet 175 feet 240 feet This is close enough to give you the understanding that as speed goes up, the stopping distance goes up more. 4. You haven*t as much time. As increasing speeds take you over the ground more rapidly, you have decreasing time to identify a hazard and take action to meet it. Your vehicle travels about 1% feet per second times your speedometer reading. At 60 M.P.H. you cover nearly 90 feet per second. At 30 you'll go 45 feet per second, and you'll have twice as long to look over the road ahead] Anyone can drive fast, but very few know how to drive fast, safely. To do it, stay clear, look far, move early and gradually, and remember that long, long skid required by higher speed. #### 0000663^0 CC* '1 Hungers Heed Safety Before Firing retiring the past hunting .sc.won, in JL-J* the U.S.A., nearly \ 'i million people tried (heir luck. in the fields uni waterways. A large number of (his vast horde participated in this sport Inr the first lime. Mail}' of the new and old hunters never enjoyed the thrill of showing of: their trophies because of accidents. hvc-ry year a large number of hunters are killed or wounded because uf care lessness, inexperience, or excessive use of intoxicating drinks. Many of us fed that "it cm t happen to me," and this may be true. However, stray ar rows, pellets, slops, and bullets exempt no one. Let's review some of the items in (lie sports held that cause accidents, and some of the preventive measures that will assure us of p.articiparing in other hunting seasons. Of the many items used in hunting, four items along with the persons using, them, lead all others as being associated with serious accidents: Clothing, bow and arrow, 'shotgun, and rifle. Improper clothing has contributed its share of the high accident rate. Because of this, experiments arc con tinuing, by the various manufacturers, to find the most suitable color and weather protective garment for the hunter. For your protection wear bright colored clothing--red, yellow or orangc--when in the woods or fields. It is hard for a hunter to justify shooting at any game that is wearing a hide of bright yellow, red or vivid orange, although it happens every season. Work is still in progress to determine what can be done about the color-blind hunter. Bow and arrow hunters are increas ing ia numbers every year. Many peo ple believe that this type of hunting is easy and not dangerous, but a stray arrow is just as deadly as a bullet! Tripping while holding an arrow it\ your hand or pocket can cause serious injury. Shouting straight up at birds or objats can cause the arrow lo return 18 SAFER LIVING I f i 1 I1t ft I i CCR 000066331 unseen and strike the shooter. Caie- Icssly handled arrow heads can sink their barbs deep into your hands. Tin; innocent-looking bow can cause pain ful injuries to the arm and hand i( proper shooting guards arc not used. The shotgun, for general hunting purposes, has been accepted and used by the public for many years. The origi nal intent of the shotgun was for bird shooting; the need for a gun to cover a wide area. Shotguns are now being used to shoot solid loads as well as scattering shot. These guns are popular in sizes 10, 12, 16, and 20 gage and in selected types such as automatic, pump, bolt action, hammer, and hammerles?. Each type should be thorough ly understood by the hunter before lie ventures afield. Manv serious accidents have occurred when loading and un loading guns, particularly the auto matic and pump types. A large variety of serious accidents occur when someone tries to shoot a 20 gage shell in a 12 gage barrel. The 20 gage shell will slide into the 1.2 gage chamber but will not fire. How ever, when the 12 gage shell is inserted behind die 20 gage shell, real trouble results. Tins situation can happen very easily with automatic and pump guns. As a prevention lor this type of acci dent, carry only the size shell required for the gun you are shooting. Beware of the new and heavy load shells; a large portion of the present shotguns cannot withstand these new loads. As sure yourself that the shell matches tiie manufacturers' specifications. Rifle knowledge and skill cannot be overemphasized, particularly when us ing a rifle. In recent years the market has become flooded with both foreign and domestic manufactured guns. As a result, prices of many used guns have been drastically reduced and new hunt ers may fall for these bargains without thoroughly assuring themselves of good workmanship and lack of defects. Citins should be thoroughly tested on a rifle range, under the guidance of an experienced gunman. Malfunctions of the tiring chamber have caused seri ous injuries. Rifle and shotgun barrels clogged with dirt and snow have added to the score of the injured. Without the proper training, never use a rifle on a fast moving target. Missing (he target allows the riilc slug to carry lor miles. The National Rifle Association gives these tips to the hunter; 1. Ideal every gun ns if it were loadc-d. 2. Always point the muzzle in a safe direction. 3. Be sure of your target. i. Guns carried into camp or home must be unloaded. 5. Gun barrels must be clear of ob struct ions. 6. Carry only ammunition that fits the gun you arc carrying. 7. Never point a gun at anything you don't intend to shoot. 8. Avoid all horseplay while han dling a gun. 9. Unattended guns should be un loaded. 10. Never climb a tree or fence or jump a ditch with a loaded gun. 11. Never pull a gun toward you by the muzzle, 12. Never shoot a gun at a fiat, hard surface or the surface of water. 13. Avoid alcoholic drinks before or during shooting. 1 -I. Newer carrv a loaded gun in your car or moving boat. 15. If you're new at the* game, at tend a local hunter's safety course. These reminders are but a few of the many the hunters must be aware of. The sport of hunting can be thrill ing, interesting, and productive if everyone using or even carrying ;i dead ly weapon would apply common sense. Learn to use your weapons properly, -instruct the uninformed, and when you return to your family after the lump they will he happy because you have returned with their best tropin -- you. FAIL, 1971 19 fI i i 332. 0o0feb cc*