Health, Environment, Safety, Sustainability (HESS)

My 7th Youtube upload video in response to State of ESH Nation -INDIA, is on “Vehicle Safety – covering Company folks driving for business as well as Hazmat transportation” I have attempted to give hands on overview of what are best practices that are done from keeping people safe in horrible road situations and transporting Hazardous material in a safe manner. Many thanks to companies who excel in this area whose information I have used  from public domain to correlate to my work experience. I hope ESH folks may find this 45 minute presentation useful. ( I am sorry to post 24 hrs late as Software bug issue!!)!

Following post is not about Clint Eastwood for sure!!

25 years on, from my exit from Indian cultural work environment, I am sad and deeply pained to hear of work culture in many Indian entities have not changed one bit! I am hearing of ESH folks being subjected to humiliation by Senior managers and proprietors by verbal abuse, throwing the cellphone at employee (The owners are rich, so can afford) besides dangerous act of hurling paper weight like a missile at hapless employee!! I am very sure that this treatment may be dished out not just to ESH folks, who are seen by many Indian entities as necessary Evil to be had to manage Factory inspector and Pollution control board! (Some safety folks are seen by management as Spy of government agencies) as well as to other functional heads! I am personally aware of an Owner trying threatening plunge of knife on work desk, warning the CFO the next one would be on his chest if the data is not fudged so ESH Folks that way are relatively Safe!! (Sanjayaa U are safe!!) 

I can only hope that ESH personnel can work some resilience, and follow the saying”When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough gets Going”

It is very difficult to keep your mental well-being and work your best in such hostile environment. I am aware in certain culture, the boss power is so strong, (Korea, Pakistan) but never physical abuse and threat!! While things are not all that bad, especially for ESH folks employed at MNCs in India, the High ethics works norms can be used by disgruntled colleagues to settle scores and to complain to parent HQ outside India anonymously (Sarbanes- Oxley Zindabad!!). Thus, they make you undergo hell where you are “PRESUMED GUILTY, UNTILL PROVED INNOCENT and then you are then wrecked morally”! 

 I am also aware that there are great Indian companies like Thermax, whose culture can give any MNC a RUN for the money! I can be optimistic with more and more global collaboration happening with global entities trying to set footprint in India, the work culture may change for better in decades to come! (May be say 20 -30 years!!)! I know of instances of GIANT Indian organisations struggling to bridge the culture gap so that Foregin companies can own some stake that have been pointed out during due diligence !! 

So What can ESH folks do to overcome the situation, till they find the tools, resources to  Escape from Alcatraz and be done with Jerk of boss and a lousy employer!!

1. Develop strong family values,family ties! Nothing like caring and loving family that can be a safety valve. Your spouse understand the issue better and provides a much needed emotional support.( I assume men undergo the bullying issue 99% of time, more so, in manufacturing environment) 
2. Develop self belief, try to shift the thoughts away from such situations. Positive thinking produces positive results. YOU BECOME WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT! 
3. At the forefront, keep you calm, go about the job in a professional way, try to work your best to satisfy the job requirements. Work the data, work the relevant information, keep asking yourself what can still go wrong, how to work the PLAN -B!! Never retaliate. Will take you nowhere! Your giving ammunition to your enemy! 
4. Never complaint & vent frustration in public or complain to authorities. In corrupt environment like India and sub continent, would get you nowhere! The whole system is rigged! As I keep saying many places is more rotten and corrupt and immoral, especially in the last 15 years. Internally, many places it is Bad HR that governs (HR-Hitler’s Regiment, is what we joke!) so work your own safety vent outside the system you are in. You are on your OWN!!! Some consolation that Bad-HR is a Global epidemic.
   

   

   

   
5. Develop a strong network of friends, professionals to bridge support. Sharing is caring. Work to try  help folks beyond work place,keep the “emotional credit” more by trying to do whatever help you can. What goes around, comes around. If you are good to people, people are good to you. May be a jerk of a boss, bad employer may turn things to see +ve aspects of life, which otherwise folks missed until then.
6. Unless you are asked to do unethical, unlawful aspects never quit the job. That would take you no where. (Unless you have 9 months take home pay in your a/c as bank balance) It takes that much time for transitions to happen. More so in these days of indecisive, painfully slow, legally questioning, bureaucratic dragging situation even in pvt sector. Positions advertised, being put on HOLD after months is new Norm even for senior positions, who cares, ESH,? they are open for months even as mandatory back fill !!!!!!!. 
7. This is the only exceptional rare situation, where it is worth paying to recruiters (However an act of sin be it) to explore and push for possible job opportunities for the jail break. Be ready to move from your comfort zone, who knows you may get to live in a better place and life could be far different! May be Bad boss + bad company was blessing in disguise after all !!!! 

8. In job interviews, never bad moth your Jerk of a boss or the current organisation. Never goes well, and it is a big NO NO! Always indicate your excitement to join the new company. Do good research on company that is interviewing you. Try to respond how you can work your best to fit in to that organisation.

9. Make sure the change is not from Fire to FRYING PAN!! Many times that can happen! My experience with folks  with Indian bosses are, is while you may have aversion,disagreement etc, the moment he leaves, and new guy comes, the previous boss appears an ANGEL, 6 months down the line!! So make sure that you do a thorough work about the company, work culture, ethics etc. ( I was very lucky that 15 years of International assignment were under 2 bosses they never changed, I left them!!)!!) 

I know it is easy for me to write, but I had had not a good boss for about 8 months about 2 decades back. Hence, I can relate to that and some of the aspects are tested by me drinking my own cool aid,on myself to wriggle out of ALCATRAZ!!Good luck and god bless!! 

Karthik

25/3/17 1800 Hrs.

 PS: Please feel free to share your thoughts, U can do anynomously, BLOG has the provisions! As I told a guy in email yesterday! U can post yourself as John DOE as common name in west or may be Narendra MODI !!!!!!!!!!! 

Related Post Here.

It was interesting to read a post  this morning in the Safety professional FORUM of 3500 members (I assume 99% from Indians /India) to which I have subscribed in 2005. A fellow Safety professional, has posted few days back position requirements ( multiple Sr. ESH leadership positions) that need filling in the ESH function of his organisation. 48 Hours later he has given a feedback /update  (This morning) in which  he has indicated that Professionals who applied for those ( Again 80% I assume) have 1) not asked for job description, 2)just attached the Resume without even indicating the position to which they applied 3) Not even a body text in email, a blind attachment etc etc etc. He wondered should such applications be even considered?? 

I am not particularly surprised with this kind of response, both recruiters looking for Staff function, as well as candidates take the selection process rather casually like going to casino for a jackpot. In my survey “State of ESH Nation -INDIA “, 50% of ESH folks have responded that they have been approached by Recruiters about 1-3 times a year for job opening and in 55% of times, they never heard back post their career documents being sent! I would think a stage comes people lose confidence in the system and they just go through motion of applying for job like a ritual,protocol, or necessary evil that need to be tried out to make them at peace.

Recruitment process over the last 10 years or so also has undergone significant change! As a person who has seen old times, where Recruiters with whom I had associated and who helped me to change jobs and shape my career in 80s,90s and early 2000s, ( Yasmin of Lobo Management Consultants, Madras-who was instrumental in me moving  back to South India 1996 ( I wonder where she is now?) ABC twice, (#BASF, #Monsanto) Ganesh Bhatt-Balkan HR, who helped me with #Honeywell) I am still in touch as personal contact/network. These days recruitment/hiring is more a “HOOKER Transaction/ exchange with both sides going through the fly by night mode! Also scandalous is huge Fee Recruiting agencies plunder to take the applications forward in stages! This was a personal shocker!!! ( I have never fell for it fortunately in the last decade or so, but even I was conned once by a smooth talking a Gupta guy from Delhi,who managed to leak out 6000 Bucks (100$) few months back!! Only consolation was I could have been swindled Rs 25,000  in a 3 stage scam,but I was alert and never believed from day 1 that this would go anywhere. So Rs 6000 loss, was the price (to that persistent manipulator,) I paid to prove myself right. So with the kind of situation that exist, professional in their frustration, helplessness, may just respond in a robotic way like trying to hit a Dart in a dark room, so you can’t blame them! 

But whatever be the horrible situation of state of nation economy,like behavioural approach to driving we practice,(Every other driver on the road is mad, insane, brainless, you need to protect yourself through your behavioural actions to reach your destination safely More on that in coming days) ESH professionals need to work the following basic aspects if they are serious about job change.I would call them the 1o Golden Rules.

1. Rule #1 No job in manufacturing  is so great, so enticing that you need to pay Fee to get it. So avoid paying fee, commission. However desperate you are with current job or unemployed, never give in and waste money in drain.
2. Rule #2 Never leave /resign job in anger, frustration, (Unless asked to do unethical stuff). Bird in hand is worth two in bush! Remember Every manager is Dr Jackal and Mr Hyde. So there will be dark sides, wherever you go. People join the company, leave the manager! (ofcourse true 99% time, odd exceptions exist-in my case it was just once)
3. #Rule 3 Work a Career Document covering all your responsibilities, Achievements, key metrics! update them say once in 3 months. This will form the backbone of resume. Tailor your resume to the job requirements from this career document. You may need to alter the resume many times, but if you are serious about job change then this is must. Align your resume to job description/profile given as much as possible. Always ask for Job description if you are contacted before responding. I was called for Job interview last JULY from top-notch  INDIAN company in a hurry like no tomorrow. When I asked Job description to the HR Lady (Evil HR LADY!!!) for that position,they were evasive. So I was clear they were not serious,still flew for that discussions, as my sister lives in that city,so good chance to meet her. No wonder it fizzled out! The joke was they informed me few weeks later (very rare feedback in Indian culture) my profile didn’t suit, I didnt apply at all, the phone call came from them finding me somewhere ? What the hell?? hahahhah!!!! 
4. Rule #4 Cover letters are essential, they make you get noticed to get the possible interview. Work in to explain, how you fit the job, what skills, behaviours you bring in to the position. Hiring manager wont get more than 30 seconds to decide, so a good covering letter can swing that your way to make him/her go next page which is the Resume. I used 1 page Resume, (despite 30 years of work, I would leave to folks) 
5. #Rule #5 Interview is an artificial reality that is created to Keep people “OUT; OUT” Not IN!! So work towards making until last stage and do your best. Until you have offer on hand, YOU HAVE NOTHING.
6. Rule #6, Interviews are all about Behaviours linked to Results you achieved. This is more so as you climb the career ladder, prepare for situations of how you handled them by action, what you did as task, what was task, what was result and how it aligns with companies values etc. (STAR)
7. Rule #7, “TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF” prepare a 10 min overview of your quick personal side, significant achievements in your career span, Challenges turned in to opportunity, Behaviour traits that set you apart. Most people miss this question and derail from there on. 
8. Rule #8  In an interview you are allowed one Strike! (One gaffe, Error, mistake) but folks miss the plot by thinking about it on and on and lose track/ plot of their performance. If you missed something, forget and move on. Hiring manager knows you are human.
9. Rule #9 Prepare Questions and ask when it is your turn. Never ask about benefits and compensation. More like what are successful skills needed to succeed in job, What are career growth, 90 day challenges in the job etc could be good indicator of your committment, passion to your future role.
10. Rule #10, never negotiate in final stages of interview You have no power to do that!, Companies knows what you are worth. Also indicate your range of compensation that would interest you. Do research, network with folks to know the range the position is worth. (Yes people wont tell true number, assume it is always inflated high!) 

I have listed some of these aspects which have worked for me. I hope this post gives some clarity to folks to work a way forward. Remember it is all about “SOFT SKILLS” the ability to communicate, motivate, engage, inspire, show empathy is all that matters! Technical Skills,???  Robot would do! Human not needed! 

I would be more than happy to share 1) my cover letter, 2)1 page resume of 27 yr career then, 3) Career Document, 4) Tell Me about yourself! please email me or post request in the blog! Happy to do so!  If you need anything, just ask.

Good luck and God Bless

Karthik

23/3/17 1330 Hrs. 

PS: Of course, I would not have learned any of this If I had not listened to Manager Tools since 2006 besides working with great collegues in top notch organisations. 

I am posting the 7th YOUTUBE Presentation in response to my STATE  OF ESH NATION- INDIA. This 45 minute presentation covers Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Medicine  in a Manufacturing setup. It gives an implementation point of view with basics and execution for a safer workplace. Please go through and give comments here or at the YOUTUBE site. The presentation material are all collected from public domain which lead me to the today topic of posting!!! 

Last Week,I had sent this following email to my close associates with whom I have interacted over the past 25+ years seeking their inputs and participation. This was to make ESH sessions of mine more involved engaged through Web participation, writing blogs, Google Hangout /Skype to do interactive discussions or they doing an individual sessions as I do now. This will help folks get a divergent perspective. I am now extending this to anyone and everyone through process of “CROWD SOURCING” so that any person with ESH competence can participate and make this active and fellow ESH professionals can benefit.

“I am sure you are aware that I have been working on my ESH Blog and I also share ESH sessions on various topics over YOUTUBE.  Over coming days, I plan to make this interactive & conversational over GOOGLE HANGOUT /Skype etc to have a dialogue or to have multi panel discussions and post them as video in YOUTUBE. Since we have actively engaged over last 20+ years in our corporate engagements, our thoughts, work culture and way to deliver results would closely align.

BMDRXY Fan at a football game.

One of key aspect that we all embrace whether we like it or not is CHANGE ?? (Jokes Apart), As the saying goes, Nothing is permanent except CHANGE” So maturity and success of an organisation is measured by change/evolution as happens in its journey more so in today’s fast paced times. In terms of ESH, it covers the maturity path guiding the change.  But Change is never easy and for change to be effective the below equation has to he held GOOD!

I got this below interesting picture from my Good Friend and colleague from USA, who shared it yesterday which triggered this post. So True it is, and as for ESH management to correlate, it covers Leadership, Competence, Motivation, Adequacy of Agents and Execution as key ingredients to make things happen. Even if one of the component is missing or inadequate, then it leads to Chaos, uncertainty, undesirable outcome besides making things do all again.

I was very fortunate to have Read John Kotter’s book a few years back. It helped me immensely in executing the ESH change in culture when we went about doing ESH executions in our new mergers/acquisitions for business growth or for new engagements. These things needless to say, go beyond geography, culture. 

From EHS standpoint, for changes to be made effective, ESH folks need to create a baseline to know where they stand. Measuring baseline as a final fixed number (say %) and to see which phase of maturity path in which organisation is in. The measurement involves following aspects:-

1. Leadership support
2. Communication/Consultation /Planning.
3. Systems and Process for ESH implementation at current status.
4. Change Management Current level.
5. Management Support with interface of ESH with other functions
6. Employee Involvement/Motivation/Participation/Engagement
7. Contractor/Visitor Programs.
8. Organisation Structure and Style for getting things done.
9. Measurement of metrics which impacts ESH
10. Accountability for performance
11. ESH Operational excellence of Knowing-Doing Gap???

Companies can know where they stand from the Bradley Curve which is a benchmark to guide and move from there on. Needless to say “LEADERSHIP should be dissatisfied with current status” and want CHANGE as a precursor!!! This is where ESH professionals can provide input through data from baseline measurement.

For ESH Change to be effective I keep insisting, that it starts with Engineering, Technological change as first and foremost. Of course, Risk management of hierarchy of Controls also insist Engineering controls at the top! Rest of aspects follow suit and it is only that way to bring in Change leading to ESH performance enhancement.As Hudson Curve shows below, you need horses for courses and only engineering excellence can taper down the Injury/incident rates to an acceptable level as initial intervention. Also, Engineering changes are fast, swift, quick to implement besides Machines Don’t Protest!!! 

Once the baseline is determined, action plan is worked, implement the change through 7S models aligning action plans to the 7S. Work the Sub action plans with 7s linkage with Who, What, When, How!! Track them closely. Like any operating system, consider Strategy, Structure and Systems as Hardware and Skills, Staff, Style as Software to execute the action plans worked for change.

Of course on the practical side, change is never easy as Chip and Dan Heath explain in their best seller book! “SWITCH” . So unless the culture of organisation is for change in all area of operation and move forward ahead for better, ESH change as standalone program would be a tough uphill battle.

So Good Luck with Change. God Bless!!

Karthik

21/3/17 1500 Hrs.

PS: You Will Never WALK ALONE!!!! if you wondered??? (Football fans will get this!!)

My 6th Youtube posting on State of ESH Nation-INDIA covers the “Process Safety Management” PSM based on OSHA 1910.119 Standard. I thought I would cover this topic as PSM still not a mandated/regulatory standard in INDIA. This presentation is a Vanila version (I do 2-3 day events and tried to capture in about 40 min a summary) So organisations would not be very keen to enforce as most companies feel complying with regulatory frame work itself as a necessary evil that need to be gone through! I hope folks finds useful. As I keep saying, the elements covered in PSM is not Rocket Science not much of it is Unknown. Again, it all boils down to KNOWING DOING GAP! Do we really see that the gap between what we know and what we do is close to zero??

Ok,

Ever since Donald Trump has won the elections in 2016, 2 words have stood out to describe everything he has done. 1) Alternative Facts 2) Post Truth! While I am not getting in to politics at all in this BLOG as this blog is professional coverage of ESH unlike my personal one here. I wanted to use these words in ESH context and leadership and ponder whether Trump said is anything new compared to what is happening in Industries across developing region!! (Emerging REGION??????????)  

I am more determined that alternative  facts are of the current global order with funds being slashed for EPA, OSHA as well as Disbanding CSB! So I wonder what is that is happening is new more so from an emerging world perspective! This was all happening across, so America joins the club? I wonder?

2) post-truth   (ADJECTIVE)

                          Relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less                                           influential in shaping public opinion that appeals to emotion & personal belief.                 ‘in this era of post-truth politics, it’s easy to cherry-pick data and come to whatever conclusion you desire’                                                                                                                                         ‘some commentators have observed that we are living in a post-truth age’

How much of alternate facts /Post truth happens at work:- 

1. Filling permits /checklists without fully understanding to work check the box.
2. Is it required as per Factory Act, EPA, If not forget it! we are here in tight operation costs! 
3. Not bothering major policy documents not reviewed over even 3 years or so. Who cares?
4. Copy Paste Risk Documents from Site A to Site B with far different scope and use it.
5. Closing corrective actions without due verification/validations. No Cross check by III person.
6. Using Dilution by water, Air, to pollutants to meet the Norms.
7. Not reporting Near misses, Incidents minor for fear of reprisals, punitive actions by leadership.
8. Repeat findings in Audits, Assessments, Inspections! 
9. Not meeting Deadlines to corrective action, Change Target dates without a care.
10. Safety Meetings more download, one way dialogue. No inputs sought or dissent encouraged. Healthy disagreements unheard.
11. Training manipulated. Signoff, proxy to meet the target. No formal plan. First cut of budget is training and competence sessions besides Travel Ofcourse! 
12. LOTO, CSE, Elevated Work, M/c guarding norms violated, Boss says Job must happen! First time device by-pass all went well, so no need to follow rigorous safety procedure.
13. inaccessibility to Procedures, saying all data Confidential. Just because some one decade back flicked procedure.
14. No Entry to personnel other than area of responsibility, if you go in to check, you may have done damage to your limbs.
15. Seat Belt in fork Lifts? What for speed is less?? Supplier didn’t recommend so why waste money!!! (Even top-notch cos use this logic hmmmmmmm) 
16. Roll over protection Forklifts?? what’s that??????? No need! 
17. Lost, misplaced documents due to poor Record management /ownership.
18. Not my job to manage. Why Should I care???
19. No Set Metrics, Goals, Objectives, Targets, Management plan. ESH / Business systems managed by ad hoc situations as happened.
20. Managing by Fear, coercion, Reprimand. 
21. Pointing out corrective actions/improvement would lead to you person pointing the job being asked to take ownership and close it.
22. No Formal Design Review at projects, ESH forced to sign off at 11th Hour, else BIG Boss will be unhappy and angry and would shout.
23. Project Engineers absolute disdain for Operational care /Norms, their way to do things assuming Sun Sets in East!!! (99% site I visit Monkey Ladder is norm How would you climb at aged 61??) Project guy goes to next project 1000Km away 20 years ago.
24. Management Review without All Leadership participating, Not all HSE-Elements discussed /identified with actions for improvement.
25. PPE issue no norms, standards, Cost is factor. 
26. PPE inspections??? What is that???
27. Safety Environment manifests on 4th March, 5th June, 6th December. All Dog and Pony show. Rest of days, ESH guy exist to take blame and work the Donkey’s load!!
28. Dog and PONY Show when overseas visitors come! All Spick and Span! Call overseas consultant and get spruce up, align terms and Every one happy!!!
29. MSDS explanation to folks? OH Man they would run away from work fearing hazards!! Don’t let them know hazards.
30. Contractor folks are expandable entity including Life????? 
31. Plan approvals and all we can’t wait start project, manage approvals.
32. If we need to manage standards as per First World Norms, Why the hell we come to a III World Country!! Manage resources some how! We thought Developing regions can manage (Some how)!!! 
33. I only know what I know, I dont know care what others do? (Integrative thinking?? Tell it to Birds) 

I think Trump would be happy I guess he has some folks who match him ????  At least Trump has a team which is World class to steer ship safely!! Do our Folks have some? I wonder??? 

Any Lists you want to add, please do in comments. 

Karthik

19/3/17

Housekeeping:- You can subscribe to the posts in Email and receive in your Inbox!!

Part 1 of Blog Here! 

Part 1 I covered about Sharpening Technical Skills, diversifying knowledge beyond ESH, Relationship building, Data is essential to any discussion and work your personality profile to know yourself and others!!.

Here we go further!!

You are a Leader:– Many times, I see ESH folks expressing helplessness and inability to get things done or influence. They always point that the Leadership doesn’t support or encourage them. This attitude must change. You are a leader for people around you and for folks whom you influence and get things done as a staff function. It is all within us to build that skill. You become what you think about, Belive and succeed. Watch these 2 videos. Earl Nightingale talk changed my life 20 years back.

Steal Responsibility:- To move up the career path and make meaningful contributions, you have to sometimes steal Responsibility from your Boss! No one would hand responsibility on a platter. Try to know your boss’ job,see how you can contribute your bit or take it up on you  to free her as well as to learn and grow. 99 times out of 100, No Good boss would never say NO to things being delegated down.  I can quote 10s of example, but I would let big boss Larry Bossidy (Ex-Honeywell explain here in this article) hbr_what_your_leader_expects_of_you

Develop Metrics and Track:- What gets measured gets done. Be it in personal life, professional growth, or any other sphere of life! Work key metrics that you would like to track and stay on top of that. Keep a Diary of events and track. Now a days, Calendar, Evernote are all digital. This will also help you to write your performance review better. While on performance review, have a Career Document that highlights all of your achievements. (This is different from your Resume). Ofcourse, for this to be successful, one needs to have key goals aligned to targets, plans etc as part of Management Systems.

Safety Domain Growth:- When I began as Environmental Professional in 1985, (1st Batch of such professionals) we never would have dreamt that the domain would extend so much. Today the Word Safety would encompass in a span of 30 years, the following operational aspects to which ESH Folks are responsible.( These all functions I have handled or managed experts reporting to me)

1. General Safety including Operational Safety.
2. Loss Prevention including Fire Safety.
3. Ergonomics & Well Being.
4. Process Safety.
5. Industrial Hygiene.
6. Occupational Medicine.
7. Project Management & Review/ Construction/ Contractor Safety (Certified Representative Development)
8. Sustainability including Diversity, Greenhouse Gases, Carbon Foot Print, energy management.
9. Human Rights/Social accountability
10. Business Continuity (Non IT domain)
11. Product Stewardship (Including Life Cycle Assessment, SIN, Congo Minerals)
12. Facility.
13. Security including Vulnerability Assessment (Post 9/11)
14. Management Systems covering ISO 9000, 14000, 45001, 50001, 27001 etc linkage to Operations.

Great organisations see Synergy to include all these aspects of ESH and link to other areas like Productivity, Quality, Inventory, Delivery, Cost and make them a business enabler to grow business.I am sure that EHS Domain that I have listed above would stretch even further in coming decades. It is all in ESH professional’s hands to reach out and grab the opportunities (or better steal it) and move forward in life! As they say “The Glass is Half Full or Half Empty”, Which way one sees it is entirely up to them.

PS: If you ask me one book that made me, what I am, this is one! I charted my life at 1988, Great book to influence your life. I am glad I got it although a bit late at 24! I gifted this book to my Children at 18, so that they have a better life  planned than mine! The challenges faced by this generation is very very different, I dont think, I am up to it!!!

Good LUCK and GOD BLESS!
Karthik

17/3/17. 1415 Hrs.

Ever since I have began blogging, I have been receiving calls, emails, Linkedin messages from ESH personnel from Indian entities, asking for advice,that their career has hit a road block as well as there is sense of learned helplessness besides economic blockade with funding for projects etc making them stagnant and no way appearing out. The spectrum of folks who got in touch with me, includes  Senior ESH Managers covering multiple location responsibility to a few folks with good years in ESH responsibility. 

I have already covered this  in my earlier post, here   I thought looks I dive deep further and try to provide hands on tools to make some practical way for folks to wiggle a way out. Let me try to try to work from my personal example.

1. I had a very average SITE manager, who felt,way up to influence top management was showing improvements in ESH as his deeds and interfering a lot in my way of work (which is broad spread,delegating, participating and I never count trees in forest) as well as micromanaging. So much so,it had a deep impact on my personal emotional side. I had set myself a target of 6 months that I would find a new job with higher responsibility. I was ready to relocate. I sharpened my knowledge/ application skills on international Regulations (This was way before Internet era & downloads can cost a fortune) knew them as good as Indian regulations. When job interview came,on technical skills, I answered them quoting sections of the global law and how its interpretations are done locally to my work and how I achieved success through behavioural approach.  Always see a positive side to everything, be OPTIMISTIC. Things will only get better!! Factories Act, rules, EPA rules of India are laws of yesteryear! World has moved light years ahead! so adapt new standards and practice!! No one is going to say NO when you do more and apply to your work.
2. Enhance divergent credentials:- In my job interview, Mr PM Thampi, Chairman of BASF -1997, wondered(rightly so in hindsight) how I would sustain in  SHE (He always calls that way He man in She job!!) as the job can get pretty boring once big targets are hit! In spur of moment I replied, Sir, (Mr Thampi is now 80+ Older than my Dad)I plan to acquired Management Degree to see perspective of doing / seeing things from other side! He seemed satisfied! 4 years down the line, when I took up Corporate Job which involved travel to Pakistan,Indonesia  etc (Intelligent Risk Taking as a behaviour) as Regional ESH Head! I remembered my commitment to Mr Thampi, used the time in Flights, Hotel to pursue a course in MBA- HR. (People perspective to Safety aligns well Ops is already at work).This gave me a divergent view to business and how ESH fits in. Why management does what it does!! (Yes my first and last entrance exam to something in life!!!!, boy Entrance exam and expense reports! How much I loathe!! Thank god, I am out of it!!)
3. Data, Data, Data If less, Fire Hose it with More Data!!!! I can’t help but express my helplessness that ESH folks feel fundings are cut, allocations don’t happen,unnecessary interference from investors/ Top leaders! As I said before in my presentation! My antenna goes up, if I hear folks say we get all funding, safety no problem. I was always clear, We are here to make Profits, enhance bottom line” So how do we go about it.
   1. Work risk based approach to funding. When you carry out Risk assessment and link the mitigation to Costs of projects. Data is with you. When you provide data, Leaders appear convinced. With data you get a chance to speak at table, without it, Boss’ opinion prevails. As simple as that! 
   2. I cant help but wonder in astonishment,how many times ESH folks crib that they were informed about plans, events, change, modification at the XI hour. Is it??? Where were your relationship bridge?, where is your internal network? Where is your personal touch to go beyond workplace? Where is your emotional aspect I can go on and on and on!! Essence is People achieve results thro Relationship Power (70% of results at work) otherwise called interpersonal skills. Work that! get to know people, build emotional quotient, Reach out! Most relationship goes beyond workplace and so nurture it! Get to know people…… I cant help recollect the tens of instances where major decisions were always hardwired pre-wired over dinner /over drinks at a bar at 2330 Hrs!! 5 years after leaving corporate, I am in touch with 90% folks spread over 27 years in 4 continents!! 
      

      

      3. Work your DiSC Profile or equivalent!! You have data to know yourself and easily can get to know others  too from the way they express, interact, react, etc etc, and adapt your interaction, Engagement etc. I am a HIGH”D”! By the way! I can write a couple of blogs on DISC alone and it would become a HR Blog.

      

      

      

      I would continue later!!  Let me know your comments, thoughts!!
      Karthik. 16/3/17, 1440 Hrs.

This is my 5th session on state of ESH Nation INDIA. This 40 min youtube upload (I thought I could do in 25) covers the RISK BASED Approach to ESH audits at facilities. I have shared some of my experiences of ESH& ISO MS audits across the globe, practical aspects and how to be ready for an audit besides Audit Scoring and criteria for Risk mitigation that comes out of Audit findings!

Please feel free to comment & inputs.I am thankful to some of info I have picked from books, (Ashbury, Ashwell) Web to substantiate auditing basics and concepts info from general domain.

In my global experience, (about 50 Audits as Auditor, Auditee across Globe) what are key aspects that work a successful audit. I would list the following items that stood out. These are sites spread across 4 continents so culture, people, power distance variance all covered.

1. Leadership Engagement:– In almost all sites, where audit scores are  > 65% ( Considered Average) the hallmark of such result, is an effective Site Leader who clearly understands ESH values, sets objectives, targets and tracks them through effective delegation. He, visible on shop floor! Enjoys the support  / confidence of folks at the facility (As inferred in one on one, Skip level auditing). The ESH leader is well-connected with him/her and it appears like an outstanding “Rowing team at Sync”
2. Ownership through Owner/Sponsor. Sites have identified owner/sponsor, which requires them to take responsibility for implementation of said program. The sponsor is a person with Senior Leadership position who champions the implementation, Maturity and leadership engagement. Standard Owner is a person who takes up operational responsibility to make sure that the requirements of the standard/procedure/program is fully met as well as strives for continuous improvement besides giving feedback as applicable. He is the interface during audit. (example Warehouse Manager is Owner for Forklift handling and safety). This way collective responsibility spreads across site through clear expectation, communication, feedback to keep status up to date and no SURPRISES and implementation is ensured in both width and depth.
3. Facilities which have ace ESH audits, have an outstanding “RISK Assessment Register” covering depth of activities from Normal, Abnormal, Emergency activities. (Word Risk covers all operational aspect from ESH standpoint, like Aspect-Impact Register) In order to calibrate risk further, these facilities work, the 1)Probability, 2)Severity, 3)Frequency, 4)% Folks exposed to the operations as well as 5)Legal compliance status with action plan for the same. With such 5 dimensions, the lowest risk is 1*1*1*1*1=1 and Highest risk is 5*5*5*5*5=3125 so the spectrum is so  enormous to focus to spend the time, money, energy, to mitigate such high risks. Also visible would be collective participation in to risk register preparation from various area owners giving input, post a training/awareness sessions.
4. In some facilities to compete for operational excellence awards “SAFETY” is one of criteria where audit scores have to be 80+% (Average is 65 %) to be in the race. With such stretch target, facilities work towards preparation, doing Self Assessment with improving their ratings over time( say doing assessments every 6 months) and closing out corrective actions. With such ease at correction, self-confidence, the documentation and record retrieval during audits is outstanding with almost 5-10% time saved due to ease of retrieval.
5. Facilities with good audit scores have devised their own near miss reporting systems (5% of census/month a minimum to report) and work the investigations /root cause determination for each of them with “5WHY *6M (Man, Management, Method, Mileu, Material, Machine) and root cause identified is deployed horizontally across the facility through “Knowledge Sharing/communication”. In short they excel in Rapid Problem Solving! 
6.  ESH is never standalone, it always piggy backs as a linkage to operational excellence through value creation, optimisation of resources, collective ownership, behaviours and culture. Also the facilities which ace the ESH audits have always beat the monthly metrics targets set comfortably. So an audit it appears is a mundane, routine, non sexy exercise. Another highlight aspect is facilities which ace ESH audits, across the world, invariably have immense regards / Good opinion, respect of community in the eyes of statutory authorities, neighbours, community at large. The pride of employees in such facilities is visible. As saying goes, Safety, Quality, Delivery, Inventory, Cost all are pillars! So all are held together! 
7.  ESH audits site with scores above 65+%, ace Corrective Action closure. They stay on top of issues and close them out, on time on budget! Many entities reward sites for achieving this through credits in site Safety Performance Metrics. Also another important aspect  in such organisations  as a measure of ownership at the top, are that corrective actions which require more than 365 days to close, due to scale, depth of implementation, the facility is no longer responsible to close the issue from safety metrics performance stand point and wont be held against them.
8. Facilities which top in ESH audits, have a very good linkage to Annual Operating Plans, Budgets, resources allocation, Census that drill down from Strategic plan. While budgets may be stretched due to economic conditions, business environment, downturn market, these facilities with great precise linkage to Risk Register are clear and focus on where to allocate the scant resources.
9. Housekeeping in facilities across all aspects is of highest order. A place for everything and everything at its place.
10. Continuity of Folks, career growth! Sites that ace ESH excellence in Audits (thus obviously interconnected operational excellence reaching Five Star or Gold Status) have gone on to reach higher levels in career ladder or moved to other area of operations and adapted with ease.  (Success Breeds Success) With telecommuting, work base continues to be same, in some cases, the facilities take advantage of their expertise for crucial aspects which they willingly support.

So bottom line is ESH Audits linked to Risk based auditing can deliver results. What is required is great preparation, participation, premptiveness, positive attitude, Presence (5Ps)  by all to work them.

Karthik.

15/3/17 1400 Hrs.

445pm during evening walk ,listening to the newly Stumbled  AudioPodcast by Malcom Gladwell, (Author of great books such as Blink, Tipping Point, David & Goliath) called “REVISIONIST HISTORY” in which Gladwell disects about 10 events in history  spread over 300 years and tries to explain the hidden meaning or what we missed or failed to see or an alternate view. In the first episode of Lady Vanishes referring to Famous British painting by Ms.Elizabeth Thompson, “The ROLL CALL” which was held in awe &even hailed by Queen Victoria in 1870s, and then the lady was never heard by anyone again! Gladwell argues many of the gestures are tokenism and never was done with any serious intention! (Female President/PM, Germany Inclusiveness to Jews etc etc) 

Elizabeth Thompson Butler: A Case of Tokenism

I can’t help wonder,the correlation of this symbolism/tokenism to ESH in 90% of organisations? Is it that ESH is purely symbolic, tokenism, necessary evil to be had, EHS Manager /VP/GM given a token position (like Women in Board Room) and Door is Shut to let nothing else ??? Do carry out National safety day celebrations, move on!!  Is ESH moving like the LADY Vanishes ??  I am more so intrigued with Budget constraints, Issues of cat dog fight of ESH vs Projects, No Formal ESH design review, No decision making power with Functional Authority!! (especially over last 10 years, a global trend!)!!! 

Only one consolation is we (as in Developing World) is not an Island & it is getting worse everywhere!!! So cheer up!!

“Workplace safety did not take center stage as a campaign issue for Trump or any other presidential candidate. But Trump’s limited-regulation stance, coupled with his experience in construction and other industries, suggest to some that he will steer OSHA more toward compliance assistance and away from enforcement.

Trump offers the unprecedented case of an incoming commander-in-chief who has been fined multiple times by OSHA for safety violations at his worksites. His businesses also have relied on contractors and subcontractors who have been hit with major penalties. One of his contractors was fined $104,000 after a construction worker fell 42 stories to his death in 2008 at the Trump SoHo hotel condominium in New York City. The penalty was later reduced to $44,000.”

Look to hear from Folks on thoughts views comments??? 

Karthik

13/3/17 1800 Hrs!!!!

I have posted today, YOUTUBE Video presentation of 50 min duration on the revised ISO 9001,14001 and new ISO 45001 key steps requirements with my thoughts and inputs. The video also covers on how an integrated management system can be easily worked than before so that duplicity can be avoided. Please post your comments either at video link page or here. Thank you in advance.

I took the picture during my recent travel.

This is more relevant in context of Wellness, Work place stress that can have disasterous consequences as was the case on 24th March 2015. Andreas Lubitz, who was copilot of German Wings flight, crashed his plane at Alps (Flying from Barcelona to Düsseldorf) killing all 150+ passengers on board. 

Andreas Lubitz, the co-pilot who deliberately crashed his Germanwings flight killing everyone on board, kept a diary that reveals how profoundly disturbed he was in the months leading up to the disaster, it has emerged. The diary and other details uncovered in the German investigation raise serious questions over why Lubitz’s doctors did not alert the authorities to the danger he posed, according to details leaked to the German press . Investigators have discovered a sheet of paper Lubitz left dated March 22, on which he wrote “Decision Sunday”, followed by the BCN, the code for Barcelona airport.

Work place Stress due to Fatigue, Mental conditions play a huge part in deciding a safer work place. In the current day work environment  especially post Y2K era,where Stress, Competition, compatibility, Proving to be different, Social and peer pressure can easily lead to burn out, decay of performance, and few times even leading to suicides at work are known. It is very essential that organisations give enough focus and attention and work program which cover policy, coaching, counselling and remedial measures. While culture in broader environment would not let employees accept such issues (Say USA as an example, where Work and Life are considered by folks as two separate entities) a great manager with Relationship building, good network, performance review, as well as good occupation wellness support system with counselling, can decode issues in the very early stage. Goes to show again why relationship at work matters!

I am also posting my thoughts,as I just heard from my son,who is nine months in to corporate life,describing a star performer at work, known to him,planning to quit 8 year job and the organisation doing its best to sort things out!. This person’s performance dipped very significantly in recent past,for whatever reason totally unconnected to work! Mental well-being, balance, Emotional Agility is key for a successful life. Great organisation go a long way to nurture them as a two-way street with equal open participation by employee themselves willing to accept an issue exist. 

Take care, Stay Safe!!

Karthik

12/3/17, 1500 Hrs.