The National Shipbuilding Research Program Application Of Industrial Engineering Techniques To Reduce Workers Compensation And Environmental Costs Deliverable D

The research with environmentally compliant spray equipment is to reduce airborne emissions (VOC's) from the coating application process (spray painting). The process is designed to identify, test and streamline spray equipment to reduce paint usage, reduce smog causing voc emissions, improve transfer efficiency, and reduce paint wastes in U.S. shipyards. Most U.S. shipyards and foreign shipyards currently use traditional air-atomized spray painting guns for their coating applications. Some facilities utilize the Powder coating or Flame spray process to apply specialized coatings, but on the average the preferred process is the air-atomized gun. Over the years, this process has become expensive and time consuming as companies strive for compliance to mandated EPA, OSHA and local district air quality regulations. Under pressure from environmental authorities and upper management to reduce voc emissions, coating manufactures are producing coatings that are low in voc emissions, which by the way are increasing in cost as new formulations are developed due to the complexities of certain marine coatings for tanks, underwater hulls, bilges, fresh water tanks and Cht tanks (waste tanks). Because of rising costs, it is wise for U.S. shipyards to take a proactive approach to minimizing coating, man-hour and equipment expenditures.

As a sub-task of the NSRP project, Application of Industrial Engineering Techniques to Reduce Workers Compensation and Environmental Costs (8-96-3), the NASSCO Training Department and Environmental Engineering Department developed an interactive, computer based training (CBT) module. the objective of this sub-task was to provide computer-based training to shipyard personnel on environmental issues that impact the shipyard operation and production. The CBT module that was developed addresses the training requirements for the NASSCO shipyard personnel who are engaged in transfer of oil and bulk quantity hazardous materials over water. The contents of the CBT module are in accordance with the U.S. Coast Guard regulations as specified in 33 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 154 and 156. This report describes the logistic of how the CBT module was developed for the NASSCO shipyard.

As a sub-task of the NSRP project, Application of Industrial Engineering Techniques to reduce Workers Compensation and Environmental Costs (8-96-3), the NASSCO Environmental Engineering Department performed an investigation of various waste management software. The investigation involved searching for efficient methods of tracking costs and volume of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes using industrial engineering techniques. The hazardous material/waste management software ExecuTrax from Wixel, Inc. was chosen for its capabilities for an optimum management of information. This report describes the logistics of implementing the software at the NASSCO shipyard.

Each year medical claims and lost time injuries as a result of on-the-job accidents cost American companies millions of dollars. Most companies have implemented numerous diversified safety training programs and policies in an attempt to reduce the number of accident related injuries. The focus of many of these programs has been global in nature, and their effectiveness is difficult to monitor and measure. Results of evaluations of conducted among health and safety training practitioners indicate that it is generally not possible to determine if health and safety training are effective (Vojtecky & Sclmitz, 1986.).

To communicate the findings of the project Application of Industrial Engineering Techniques to Reduce Workers' Compensation and Environmental Cost," three workshops were held. The first workshop was held at the Radisson Admiral Semmes Hotel in Mobile, AL October 8 & 9,1998. The second was held at the Radisson Hotel in Portland, ME, October 15 & 16,1998. The third was held at National Steel & Shipbuilding Company in San Diego, CA, October 22 & 23, 1998. The workshops were scheduled in central locations throughout the country, to facilitate attendance by all of the major shipyards and repair facilities. These workshops were advertised through NSnet and an e-mail discussion group of more than 500 members. The advertising for these workshops was coordinated through the University of Michigan by Pamela Cohen. There were an additional 367 flyers mailed to members of the NSRP panels (3, 8, 9, 5 and 7) by the Project Engineer. The advertising and mailings occurred during the months of August and September to notify participants in a timely manner. A copy of the workshop announcement flyer is included in this report. The workshop was conducted by Freddie Hogan, Project Engineer, Brienn Woodds, Manager of Training and Development, Karen Wasson, Training and Development Department and Michelle Lee, Environmental Department. The workshop agenda and workshop material are included in this report. The workshops were well received by the attendees and provided a valuable opportunity to share the lessons learned on this project.

During 1996 and 1997 the Blast and Paint Department incurred 118 eye injuries 99 first aid injuries and 19 recordable 15 in 1996 and 4 in 1997. The types of eye injuries were abrasions infections irritations rust rings embedded foreign bodies and loose foreign bodies. Eye injuries have always been difficult to prevent in Blast and Paint due to the nature of work which includes painting, solvent washing, grinding, sanding, abrasive blasting, and mechanical cleaning. Due to the decrease in abrasive blasting it was now standard operating procedure to mechanical clean and solvent wipe fabricated units in the on-block area. With the increase in mechanical cleaning and solvent wiping dirt sand and other debris embedded in the workers clothing became a source of problems. When a worker is mechanical cleaning in the overhead areas of an fabricated unit for instance dust particles fall downward and collect on clothing safety glasses respiratory protection hands and face. The dust can only be removed by air blowdown hoses vacuum hoses and by the workers dusting themselves after completion of work tasks. This procedure tends to be a problem because of dust particles remaining in the atmosphere or settled dust on eye or respiratory equipment. When the employee removes Personal Protective Equipment from their face loosened particles fall into the eyes causing a variety of first aid injuries such as loose foreign body or embedded foreign body injuries.

The mechanical cleaning process is a major aspect of the painting process and therefore had to be considered part of the injury prevention process. The actual surface preparation processes were observed in a number of process areas such as in the On-Block areas Blast pit operations Ship board operations Sub-assembly areas Sheet metal shops to determine exposure to power tools. It was noted that according to the skill level of the Painters techniques in the use of power tools were completely different. The different body positions in the aspect of how they held the tools to perform mechanical cleaning operation were interesting in that there was no universal technique. The following factors such as size of the units areas of difficulty contour and shape contorted positioning etc. were all taken into consideration during the observation period. Due to the nature of work in Blast and Paint certain positions for mechanical cleaning were unavoidable.

The Electrical Department encompasses many areas of Nassco including "Onboard" (both new construction installation and ship repair), "On-Block" ground outfitting small shop repair services and Facilities Maintenance. The Electrical Trade services many areas of the "yard" and work tasks can vary greatly from installing and repairing equipment to pulling yards (actual miles) of cable. Various tasks include layout installation cable pulls hook up repair and testing of shipboard equipment. In order to perform most levels of electrical work physical requirements such as frequent lifting carrying pulling pushing standing climbing ladders overhead reaching and manual dexterity are necessary while performing such functions in contorted positions. Many electricians are also certified to weld braces and mounting equipment. In 1996 a stretching program was instituted in cable crew work areas. The injury rates declined (for a while) following implementation during the first six months of the year then escalated during the last half of the year. There were seventy sprain and strain injuries during 1996. This amounted to an injury percentage of 127% among a total of fifty-five cable crew employees. In 1997 the injury rate declined significantly to 3.6% with fifty-five employees assigned to the cable crew. The current rate is 2.3% with forty-two employees remaining on the cable crew.

This report outlines the objectives, findings, strategies and limitations of the project; "Application of Industrial Engineering Techniques to Reduce Workers' Compensation and Environmental Costs". This research was undertaken by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company on behalf of the National Shipbuilding Research Program's, SP-8 Industrial Engineering Panel. The research was divided into eight tasks. Three had sub tasks attached to each of the major tasks. Each task was approved and funded separately. The primary focus was the utilization of Industrial Engineering expertise to provide a safer work environment and reduce costs for workers' compensation and environmental operations. The tasks were: Task 1.0 Project Team Definition, Task 2.0 Establish Complete Project Scope, Task 3.0 Implementation of Task 2.1 In The Selected Areas, Task 4.0 Implementation Of Task 2.2, Task 5.0 Implementation of Task 2.3, Task 6.0 Implementation of Task 2.4, Task 7.0 Conduct Workshops, Task 8.0 Final Report. To ensure success with the project, the research needed to be performed at the lowest level in the organization. It was discovered that employees at this level in the organization were competent enough to assist with research, testing of recommendations, analyzing data and implementing suggested changes.

The processes and procedures used by these process improvement teams, (Steel Erection, Electrical, Paint and Blast) represent a base model for reducing workers compensation and occupational injuries. There is a wealth of research and information available to the industry from sources such as, OSHA, Council on Ergonomic and Management, and other governmental and private health organizations, to reduce injuries. Some of the information, research, and recommendations contained in these reports, were utilized during this project to help reduce or prevent further occurrence of injuries and workers compensation cost. What makes this research project different from conventional projects is this; the employees, who actually perform the work, are the individuals involved in the problem solving process. When an organization is committed to reducing injuries and providing a safe environment, buy-in at the lowest employee level can be attained. The success of a business enterprise in the 1990's requires empowering employees to take responsible and accountable actions to assure personal safety on the job. This may sound like the "antiquated" expressions, "the employees are at fault", or "it is human nature", or "they are resistant to change." Quite contrary, management has to put in place, the proper tools, proper training, instill a culture change by living example and most importantly, be a learning organization committed to change. Once the employees are equipped, job performance in a safe, responsible and accountable manner is possible.