Common Sense and Accident Prevention Accident prevention starts with awareness, sound judgment, and attention to the task. What is often called “common sense” is largely the result of experience—learning to recognize hazards, understanding how injuries occur, and making safe choices before something goes wrong. Workers should never have to experience an injury...

The Spotter A spotter plays a critical role in preventing struck-by incidents, backing accidents, property damage, and injuries when vehicles or mobile equipment operate where the driver's view is restricted. Construction sites are especially hazardous because delivery trucks, equipment, workers, stored materials, and changing site conditions often occupy the same limited...

Stairs and Walkways Safety Stairs and walkways are used every day, but their hazards can easily be overlooked. Poor housekeeping, slippery surfaces, damaged handrails, obstructions, and unexpected elevation changes can result in serious slips, trips, and falls. Maintaining safe stairs and walkways is everyone's responsibility. Guide for Discussion Keep Stairs and Walkways Clear Good...

Pneumatic Tool Safety - Safe Use of Air-Powered Tools Pneumatic tool safety requires controlling compressed-air pressure, hoses, noise, flying particles, and other hazards associated with air-powered equipment. Although pneumatic tools eliminate some electrical hazards, compressed air creates its own serious risks. Guide for Discussion Air Pressure and Tool Capacity Pneumatic tools must be operated...

Accidents Are Avoidable Most workplace accidents can be prevented. Injuries usually result from a combination of hazards, unsafe conditions, unsafe actions, or unexpected changes in the work environment. Recognizing these factors before something goes wrong is an important part of working safely. Before starting a task, ask yourself: What could go wrong,...

Floor Buffer Safety Floor buffers, burnishers, scrubbers, and other powered floor-maintenance machines can make cleaning and finishing hard-surface floors more efficient, but improper use can result in slips and falls, chemical exposure, electrical shock, struck-by injuries, and loss of machine control. Machines vary considerably, including electric corded buffers, battery-powered walk-behind units, propane-powered...

Machine Guard Safety Machine guard safety protects workers from moving parts, points of operation, and other machine hazards that can cause crushing, cutting, entanglement, amputation, or other serious injuries. If any machine part, function, or process can injure an employee, it must be properly safeguarded. Before Operating a Machine Before beginning work, inspect...

Office Safety – Avoid Common Office Injuries Office safety is important because everyday office activities can cause injuries when hazards are overlooked or safe work practices are not followed. Although offices are generally considered lower-hazard workplaces, employees can still experience strains and sprains, ergonomic injuries, slips and falls, cuts, and other...