It’s that time of year when preparations begin for maintaining fields and grounds surrounding the buildings and other facilities at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The ORNL Nuclear Operations grounds equipment operators and laborers, supervised by Brandon Houston, are getting their equipment ready for upcoming maintenance activities.
This year will be a little different than in years past due to an incident that occurred last summer involving a metal blade trimmer used to cut brush. Following The Rest of the Story (TROTS) and further investigation, some ground maintenance activities for ORNL Nuclear Operations projects were paused. Before resuming these activities, they were changed from exempt work using a Standard Practice Procedure to the addition of a specific Job Hazard Analysis and development of a Technical Procedure.
Enhanced safety considerations were included in precautions and limitations on the use of the mowers, trimmers, and other lawn equipment. For situations that warrant the use of a brush cutter, a unit was identified and procured that provides more robust safety controls: dual handlebar controls, attached deflector, and dual shoulder harness for ergonomics and control. Personal protective equipment requirements were improved to provide the maximum protection for the operator.
Lastly, the change to a Technical Procedure increases pre-job rigor by requiring a full Pre-Evolution Briefing instead of a STARRT card. These new controls ensure that workers are better protected while performing their duties and return home safely to their families at the end of the day.