Globally Recognized As . . . The Heat Tracing Specialists®

Sean BatesSafety CoordinatorDow Freeport713-254-0412

Globally Recognized As . . . The Heat Tracing Specialists®

Best Practices Company Communication

Company Communication

• Company Safety flashes / Memos are sent out via email to supervision and reviewed in weekly safety meetings.

• Communications are also distributed to employees in payroll stuffers.

• The payroll stuffers are in English and Spanish.

• These communications include home safety, incident sharing, hot topics and employee recognition.

• Thermon Connection – is a quarterly corporate news letter that shares company news from around the world.

SAFETY FLASH

As We Countdown, Keep Safety Awareness Up

At this extremely busy time of year when there are so many holiday/end of year distractions, what can we do to keep safety awareness up? It can be accomplished a number of ways (Stressing topics in safety meetings, increasing audits by management and increasing observations,), but one of the easiest ways is simply to “talk it up.” Employees have suggested that the key to staying safe is communication and Using the simple act of “talking” about safety:

• Emphasize that safety comes before everything else • Continually stress the importance of staying focused and keeping our heads in the game • Share learning’s • Have additional short tool box/first-day-of-shift safety meetings • Remind people to get enough rest and resume normal sleep patterns prior to returning to work after extended absences (vacation, medical absence) • Discuss and prepare for weather changes; in inclement weather, have safety meetings to discuss safety and keep awareness up • Listen to your gut or “inner self-talk” and then do something about it • Teamwork/use the buddy system • Increase job site audits • Increase emphasis on tool box meetings and JHA’s • Continue to have upper level managers attend safety meetings–it sends a strong message • Slow down • Extra communications with contractors • When training new folks, ensure you set the right example • Take time to orient new hires thoroughly to safety culture

SAFETY is a universal language and talking about safety is part of what shapes our Thermon safety culture. So as we count down these final days of 2010 and move into the peak of our holiday, keep safety awareness up – in other words, Talk It Up!

Included are the monthly inspection form and a White Roll of tape to complete your Qtr. inspections. Please review this information with all employees. We wish all a happy and safe New Year.

Let’s finish the year off right and look to improve in 2011!

SAFETY FLASH

PREVENTABLE SAFETY INCIDENTS

Over the past few months, we have experienced a number of easily preventable safety incidents that included employees

operating valves in customer facilities:

Near Miss – Employees were performing steam repairs at the Exxon Mobil Baytown plant and nearly caused an upset in the pipe stills unit.

Unit Operations had locked out / tag out all lines that were listed to be repaired. An additional set of lines were added to the scope that had not been lockout / tag out. These repairs were simple and completion was needed ASAP by the customer. Because of the excessive time duration taken by operations to lock out/ tag out lines, employees proceeded to identify lines and operate valves. This led to an employee closing a process valve to a flair stack.

Near Miss – Employees were performing steam repairs at the BASF facility in Port Author when Unit Operations gave employees the authority to operate valves when needed. Employees nearly caused a unit upset when operating a process valve.

Near Miss – Employees were insulating valves at OxyChem when an employee operated a valve to ensure clearance with the insulation

being installed. The employee assumed that the valve was not in service. In all of these events it is very clear that unacceptable individual behaviors were a root cause in each case. A procedure or work practice was in place that could have prevented each one, if it had been followed. There are many distractions in our lives that cause us to lose focus, but it is imperative that we get our “Heads Back in the Game” immediately and break this trend. Reminder:

If you ever accidentally come in contact with a valve, report it immediately to you supervisor! No matter what the situation is NEVER OPERATE VALVES!! If LO/TO is needed contact operations and your supervisor.

For additional information or Questions please contact your Supervisor/Safety Manager.

Our Goal is ZERO!

SAFETY FLASH

INCIDENTES PREVENTABLE DE SEGURIDAD

Sobre el pasado pocos meses, hemos experimentado un número de incidentes fácilmente preventable de seguridad que incluyeron a empleados que funcionaban las válvulas en

instalaciones del cliente:

Falla de Precaucion - Los empleados realizaban reparaciones del vapor en la planta de Exxon Mobil Baytown y causaron casi un trastorno en la unidad de los alambiques de la pipa. Las operaciones de la unidad habían trabado hacia fuera/etiqueta hacia fuera todas las líneas que fueron enumeradas para ser reparadas. Un sistema adicional de líneas fue agregado al alcance que no había sido cierre/etiqueta hacia fuera. Estas reparaciones eran simples y la terminación fue necesitada CUANTO ANTES por el cliente. Debido a la duración excesiva del tiempo tomada por operaciones a trabe hacia fuera las líneas de la etiqueta hacia fuera, los empleados procedieron a identificar líneas y a funcionar las válvulas. Esto condujo a un empleado que cerraba una válvula de proceso a un apilado del instinto. Falla de Precaucion. - Los empleados realizaban reparaciones del vapor en la facilidad de la BASF en el autor portuario cuando las operaciones de la unidad dieron a empleados la autoridad para funcionar las válvulas cuando estaban necesitadas. Los empleados hicieron casi una unidad trastornar al funcionar una válvula de proceso. Falla de Precaucion. - Los empleados aislaban las válvulas en OxyChem cuando un empleado funcionó una válvula para asegurar la separación con el aislamiento que era instalado. El empleado asumió que la válvula no estaba en servicio.

En todos estos acontecimientos está muy claro que los comportamientos individuales inaceptables eran una causa de la raíz en cada caso. Una práctica del procedimiento o del trabajo estaba en el lugar que habría podido prevenir cada uno, si había sido seguida. Hay muchas distracciones en nuestras vidas que nos hagan perder el foco, pero es imprescindible que conseguimos nuestros Las “cabezas mueven hacia atrás en el juego” inmediatamente y rompa esta tendencia. Recordatorio:

¡Si usted entra en contacto con siempre accidentalmente una válvula, divulgúele inmediatamente usted el supervisor! No importa qué es la situación ¡NUNCA FUNCIONE LAS VÁLVULAS!! Si LO/TO es necesario entre en contacto con a las operaciones y a su supervisor.

Para la información o las preguntas adicional satisfaga el contacto su supervisor/encargado de seguridad.

¡Nuestra meta es CERO!

#4 SAFETY FLASH

INCIDENT SHARING

Date: 04-21-2010

Incident Location: Thermon (Houston) Warehouse

Incident - On Monday April 20, 2010 a Thermon Houston warehouse employee received an abrasion to his right hand. The employee was supervising a crew loading the Panel Box when he brushed his hand against the side where a 3’’ staple was exposed. The employee was not performing a job task therefore did not have hand protection on which in this case would not of mattered. This could have been a very serious incident as we can see.

Initial Findings

*Employee was inattentive when placing hand on panel box.

*A safety inspection was not preformed prior to shipping / loading/ unloading of the panel box.

*Employee was focused on loading activities which were being preformed.

Leanings

*Ensure a safety inspection is preformed on material prior to shipping / loading / unloading to identify and mitigate any potential hazards.

*In this case the exposed 3” staple presented a hazard that should have been corrected during the installation of the material / box cover.

 

Date of Recognition: 3/11/2011 Workers Name (s): Randy Bunch Work Location: Dow B-4400 Description of Recognition: Positive QSPP

"During the recent cold weather period, B-4400 block experienced a wave of electrical tracing failures on our Irganox. In addition our D-2252 sourdough load line had some freezing issues. All of these issues occurred during off hours, in the middle of the night and in freezing conditions. Randy Bunch responded swiftly to each individual callout without hesitation. Randy resolved each issue in a very timely manor. Under such conditions, it would have been easy for him to have been frustrated but Randy reported each time in a good frame of mind, very cooperative and patient. With all of the different activities and horrible weather conditions, Randy's concern and attentiveness to his personal safety and for the safety for those around him was exceptional."

Recognized By: Mike Slater

Positive Recognition

Quarterly News Letter

Thermon Connection

Questions?

For additional information contact:

Sean Bates 713-254-0412

Jacob Johanson 1-800-654-2583