This confidential client is a global provider of treated-wood products, wood-treatment chemicals, and carbon compounds across North America, South America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. With more than 2,100 global employees, effective stewardship of their environmental, health, and safety (EH&S) efforts is a crucial principle within the company, and they strive towards excellence in meeting the rising performance expectations of regulators, customers, communities, and investors.
EHS Support was retained to address the company’s need for a thorough Control of Hazardous Energy/Lockout Tagout (LOTO) program at 14 newly acquired facilities in nine states, as the use of, and service and maintenance on, wood pressure-treating machinery was a targeted high risk for incidents and noncompliance.
Our experts were on-site at 14 new facilities over eight months to work hand in hand with equipment operators, maintenance personnel, and plant managers to evaluate equipment and electrical systems. We tackled specific challenges daily regarding insufficient machine guarding, inadequate electrical systems, and deficient controls.
EHS Support prepared an updated written Control of Hazardous Energy Program for the client. We also:
- Established a company-wide standardized process for LOTO devices
- Provided over 700 authorized and affected personnel with both classroom and hands-on training
- Developed and implemented approximately 2,300 equipment-specific procedures
- Instituted an annual inspection program
- Devised and implemented an action plan to assign responsibility and track corrective actions to closure
EHS Support’s daily on-site identification and documentation of potential health and safety (H&S) hazards and noncompliance issues provided a gap analysis of H&S non-compliance issues at the subject facilities. The action plan was implemented to help the client evaluate the business risks associated with H&S compliance liabilities, which allowed for strategic decision making and tracking of corrective actions to protect the company from potential regulatory compliance issues.