Green Hands for Green Hands

Green Hands
for Green Hands
A Voluntary Program
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Today's "green" workers-those new to their duties who face increased risk because they're not familiar with the hazards-face a harsh reality. Most employers know the grim facts: new or inexperienced workers have twice the workplace injuries of experienced workers, and of those, the ones under 24 years of age have a 60% chance of being injured in their first 6 months. What can employers do to stop their green hands from being part of these troubling, costly statistics?

A Green Hand Program

A green hand program helps green hands through their high risk period by identifying them with a green hand sticker on their hardhat so experienced workers can keep an eye on them.

These green hands could be from your own company but also could include turnaround, specialized, and general contractors, if they partner with you in your program. Green hands can include new hires, transferred workers, reassigned or promoted employees, and summer students. The green hands would keep the sticker on their hardhat for a specified period of time-often a minimum of three to six months-or until they showed a sufficient level of competence. They might have to wear the sticker longer to complete specific orientation or safety programs or pass job skill exams requiring extra time.

Wearing the green hand sticker means green hands will have the benefit of having experienced co-workers looking out for them. Seeing green hand stickers would mean co-workers would not make assumptions about green hands' experience or work habits and would not expect them to
  • do their tasks as quickly as an experienced worker,
  • know the site-specific practices and procedures,
  • be familiar with the site "permit to work" or similar company-specific controls for keeping the workplace safe,
  • be familiar with operations, especially in an emergency, and
  • know task hazards and activity-related dangers or how to avoid them.
Instead, co-workers would introduce themselves and offer help or advice and would
  • make sure to know where green hands are and what they are doing,
  • work with them until satisfied the job they are doing will be carried out safely,
  • mentor them to make sure and visually confirm that they have reached task competency before letting them work alone,
  • buddy up with them in emergencies, and
  • encourage them to ask questions and get feedback to gauge their understanding-green hands are often unsure of what to do but are also often reluctant to ask questions.
As for any effective safety program, success of a green hand program will depend on positive management involvement and frontline supervisor support. Their leadership and commitment to the concept behind the program will ensure that green hands are singled out for help, not practical jokes, initiations, or abuse-behaviours which are generally prohibited in company HR and safety policies at any rate.

Create Your Own Green Hand Program

The information in this document should help you create your own green hand program. Companies will need to evaluate their own needs and those of their suppliers and other possible partners during program development.

If you're "green" at developing such a program and would like help, some companies that have already developed their own programs are willing to lend you a hand. Give them a call to learn more about this safety initiative or get their advice:

BJ Services Company Canada
Doug Smith, CRSP, Field Safety Manager
Phone: (403) 531-5210

Weatherford Canada
Sheldon Redpath, Regional QHSSE Manager
Phone: (780) 955-1617

Veritas DGC Land
Mike Poltz, QHSES Coordinator - Canada
Phone: (403) 257-6716

To help make this green hand initiative consistent throughout the industry, Enform supplies green hand stickers free of charge. Just contact us at (403) 250-9606, toll free at 1 (877) 827-2331, and let us know how many you need. If you'd rather produce your own-as some companies like to add the date of hire or their logo on the stickers-here are the specifications: stickers are 5 cm by 5 cm and match the ink colour Pantone® Green #348.

Join a Proven Initiative

Enform is encouraging companies like yours to develop green hand programs, as similar programs have had positive effects in other industries and elsewhere in the world of petroleum. Help protect your new and inexperienced workers: add this proven safety tool to your toolbox of efforts for stamping out workplace incidents and injuries!