Have you worked with any industry body in drafting
the safety standards and best practices?I have been a part of the American National Standards
Institute in the Fall Protection Division. This group
writes the recommendations for safe working
standards. It is a group of experts that recognises the
best practices for specific safety hazards.If the Indian OOH industry were to take up safety
promotion in a big way, how would look to engage
with the industry here?I feel that everyone in the out of home business has the
right to be safe at work. It doesn’t matter whether it’s
the United States or Mumbai in India. People should
not have to worry about dying or being injured on the
job. I am always available to answer questions and
provide advice on situations as well as recommend
products for worker safety. I have a number of Safety
Talks recorded that are available on the Formetco
website, and am happy to share information that I can
provide on the subject.lHazard Assessment where each job will be evaluated
and the hazards identified. From there the hazard can
be eliminated or controlled through either engineering
controls or personal protective equipment. A critical
point in any safety is the training of employees and
workers. They have to be aware of the hazards as well.
How do you engage with the industry in promoting
safety standards? Do you reach out to the companies
separately, or do you work with any particular
Industry body or forum to address the issues?
I work with the Outdoor Advertising Association of
America, the IBOUSA, and Formetco Inc, to reach as
many different companies and workers as possible.
I teach safety courses and inspection programmes
several times a year.
Are the advertisers aware of the health and safety
risks to workers, and do you see any interventions
from their side in augmenting the OOH industry
safety standards?
Some are, but most are not. They assume the installer
is working safely and do not think there could be an
accident. There are a few that will let the advertiser
know if they see something unsafe being done on a
billboard where they are advertising.
In markets where the regulatory standards are not
very stringent, OOH firms are seen to be go light on
the standards themselves. How would you deal with
this challenge?
In the United States, the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration regulates safety on the job
across the country. This is the minimum, but some
states can have stricter laws. If a company is found
not to be providing a safe workplace, they can be fined
or even have their company shutdown. This is usually
enough to cause the company owners to be interested
in protecting their employees, but some truly do care
and try to go beyond just the minimum compliance
requirements.
MEDIA MATTERS
“If a company is found not to
be providing a safe workplace,
they can be fined or even have
their company shutdown”