Page 4 - November 2020 Track N Times

SAFETY FOCUS

What is a Good Versus A Bad 5-STEP?

By Sam Madsen, Manager Rail Grinding

A Bad 5-STEP: This one is the where the form has been prefilled out and printed whenever the same job
pops up. The job is performed on a daily basis and sometimes multiple times per shift. The leadership on the ma-
chine has determined that there is no need to review it each time it is performed. So they prefill out the form and
save it on the desktop. The job pops up, print it, have the crew members sign it and perform the work. No actual
review of the work is performed by any of the parties performing the work. The 5-STEP is printed and look over to
make sure it’s for the job at hand. It is signed at the support car table while the guys get something to eat. During
the job, an employee slips on the loose ballast that is buried under several inches of snow. During the fall he injures
his wrist while breaking the fall. The prefilled out 5-STEP did not consider the changing weather conditions. The
loose ballast was not identified because the 5-STEP job briefing did not take place at the actual work location.

A Good 5-STEP: Takes place at the actual location the task is to be performed. It is performed with the
shift supervisor and all the employees involved in the task. The hazards are identified and risk assessed. Have the
proper controls been put in place? The task is reviewed again by everyone involved to make sure nothing was
missed. A dry run (verbal play by play of what is to happen) of the job to be performed should be done to see if
there are any hazards you may have missed. During the entire procedure, the employee should be reassessing the
work, to make sure no new hazards are coming into play. If a new hazard is identified, then a new 5-STEP (rebrief)
should be performed to make sure that the controls in use are the correct ones or is there another control that
needs to be put in use. A good 5-STEP does not stop once the paper has been signed and the work started. It
should be a continuous process, until the task has been completed.

Let’s face it: What you put into
doing a 5-STEP is what your
going to get out of it. This 5-
STEP program is put into place
to help people recognize haz-
ards, help prevent incidents and
work safer.

Trivia Question: What
year was the 5-STEP born?

First person to email me the
answer will get a prize!

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