Report Hazards; Safety Is Everyone’s Responsibility
As originally published by Texas Border Business newsprint edition November 2016.
During 2016, Texas Border Business started to bring to our readers a new chapter in safety articles. We have written about the workplace safety and the role you can play in it.
We have reported that you have the right to a safe work environment, but your right comes with responsibilities. When it comes to safety, it is important to remember not to cut corners.
I am sure you have heard that the safest way to do a job is not always the fastest way. Another suggestion that you have read here is that you have the right to ask questions. It is important not to be afraid to admit that you do not understand a safety procedure.
When you see or discover hazards, please report them at once, don’t wait thinking that it is not your responsibility. Remember, that if you work with others, always watch your co-workers’ backs. You’re responsible for their safety as well as your own.
This year we brought an article that talks about texting. For this article, we met with Lieutenant Joel Morales with the McAllen Police Department who reminds all of us that while a text may seem like something calling for immediate attention, it can “wait” when you are driving. Better to exit the Expressway — then perhaps turn into a parking lot of a restaurant or other business, and when it’s safe to do so check that text.
“By delaying to use your phone or another device until you can pull over and stop in a safe place, or at your destination, you can potentially save a life – including your own,” Lt. Morales said.
On another matter of Safety, we also met with Mark Vega, the current General manager of the McAllen Public Utility. He is the one who promotes employee training to prevent accidents.
He told Texas Border Business that his concern is most of their employees are out on the field, always in the line of risk of danger.
He said that they have waterline and sewer line crews, and they spend a lot of the day in a trench, so their safety is always a priority on their mind.
He credits the training efforts with all city employees; that is what makes the difference between having an accident and preventing one from happening.
We also visited with Lieutenant Abram Robles, with the Pharr Police Department. He spoke about the importance of education about a safety program that educates motorists about a law announced by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), which is aimed to save lives.
“One of the programs that we have initiated with TxDOT is the Move Over Law.” He said, “It’s pretty simple, whenever there’s an emergency vehicle on the side of the road, on a traffic stop, it requires drivers that approach the officer’s car to move over one lane away from the officer.”
He pointed out that this is important, because when motorists obey this law, they will be giving that extra space for the officer to work comfortably not having to worry about getting hit or traffic coming too close to him
On the same topic of safety and accident prevention, we spoke to Vince Macias, the Loss Control Manager for Magic Valley Electric Cooperative company in the Rio Grande Valley. The Loss Control Manager provides safety programs for the employees. “We do all the training for employees, investigation of accidents, and we help out with public speaking on safety topics,” he told Texas Border Business.
This year, we also had the opportunity to meet with Marcus Ogas of Texas811. We learned that anyone digging should know about Texas811. This entity has helped prevent many accidents.
He stated that a phone call to Texas811 is critical to avoid damages to infrastructure. He said, “We deal with pipelines, gas lines, telephone lines, and electric lines. So it’s essential that people utilize the free 811 service to call in before digging.
Another interesting article was with the Texas Railroad Commission on damage prevention. For this, we met with Garret Velardi, a reviewer in the accident prevention department at the Railroad Commission in Austin Texas. “Our goal is to work with the local municipalities, regarding the contractors, to talk about the laws that deal with the Chapter 18, the underground pipeline damage prevention laws.”
On another article concerning safety and accident prevention, we met with Yoli Perez, the Director of Risk Management and Safety Department of the City of McAllen. She participates in a yearly event about safety and accident prevention, with state agencies that deal with important aspects of safety.
This year, we also learned that the “right lane” is a “bicycle lane.” McAllen, Harlingen, Brownsville and other Valley cities have bike lanes, and the motorist may not operate on the bicycle lanes to avoid accidents and can avoid a citation for violating the law. TBB
