WEATHERPROOF STICKER PROVIDES EMERGENCY
Communication: safety
INTRODUCTION: Environmental concerns are a top priority in a forestry operation, both to the woodlands or wood procurement manager and to the logging contractor. All are responsible for adhering to forest management and environmental guidelines while carrying out their assignments. If spills of hazardous substances occur, in spite of the best precautions, a timely and appropriate response is essential.
Environmental contaminants such as fuel, grease, oil, and pesticides are commonly found on forest operation sites. Many companies have policies in place for handling these types of contaminants in a safe and environmentally positive manner. Even with the most stringent procedures, accidental spills are still possibilities. In such rare situations, personnel on site may be more concerned with reducing and containing the spill than with scrambling for the information needed to report the spill and request assistance in the matter. Potlatch Corporation has developed an adhesive-backed sticker to place on all machinery, from field pickups to tool boxes, to make the important emergency numbers available at a glance, saving precious time in reporting a spill or other emergency.
Fig. 1: Potlatch's emergency notification sticker
GENERAL FEATURES: This sticker, 4 inches by 5 inches in size, is produced with the company logo and corporate colors on a glossy, weatherproof finish. The numbers for the Environmental Duty Officers are permanently printed on the sticker, and an area is provided to add the company's forester/supervisor contact information, which can change from job site to job site. A permanent felt-tip marker can be used to fill in this information as needed.
OPERATION: The company has these stickers produced on a roll for easy dispensing. Foresters carry the stickers with them to the field and distribute them as necessary. The stickers can be applied to a clean area on the outside or inside of a machine. When information changes, an updated sticker may be placed on top of the old one. Taking pains to see that several stickers are posted and visible on equipment at the site is a good practice. The point is to have contact information readily available to everyone on the site and to avoid the scramble to find the business card, notebook, or scrap paper with the emergency numbers.
APPLICATION: This idea should be promoted throughout all company operations. Stickers should be readily visible on all operations and adapted for the realities at each site. For example, in an area where 911 is ineffective for emergency reporting, it may be necessary to produce a sticker that indicates as much. Potlatch uses its company colors on its version of the sticker, but colors may be easily adapted to represent different meanings. For example, red could indicate first aid or forest fire reporting, yellow chemical spills, pollution concerns, and so on. The size of the sticker may be adapted to accommodate whatever information is deemed necessary. Just remember to keep it simple and easy to read, so it is effective in an emergency situation.
Kent Jacobson
Potlatch Corporation
P.O. Box 504
Clouquet, Minnesota 55720
218/879-0434
kent.jacobson@potlatchcorp.com
FRA STAFF COMMENT: FRA has teamed with Breg International to market hazardous chemical spill kits to assist with clean-up of accidental spills. They are available for $38 plus shipping; phone 800/433-1013, and request 9040-FRA Combo Vehicle Spill Kit; or use the order form on page 16. In addition, FRA offers a video-based training package, Hazardous Chemical Spill Prevention and Control for Logging Operations (01-A-11) @ $50 for FRA members, $100 for all others. Contact FRA at 301/838-9385 for more information.
Reviewed by:
Melanie Mathieson
FRA Field Consultant
