Everyone Is Responsible For Safety Safety is everyone’s responsibility! As an employee, you should: Learn to work safely and take all rules seriously. Recognize hazards and avoid them. Report all accidents, injuries and illness to your supervisor immediately. Inspect tools before use to avoid injury. Wear all assigned personal protective equipment. On the other hand, it is management’s responsibility to: Provide a safe and healthy workplace. Provide personal protective equipment. Train employees in safe procedures and in how to identify hazards. Everyone must be aware of potential hazards on the job: Poor housekeeping results in slips, trips and falls. Electricity...

Office Safety – Avoid Common Office Injuries It is generally accepted that in heavy industry, you’ll find dangerous work environments that expose employees to potential injury. But fewer companies recognize the potential risks found in everyday office environments. Office work, too, can lead to injuries if appropriate safe work practices are not followed. Learn to avoid these common hazards: Musculoskeletal strains and sprains associated with material handling: If you must walk and carry an object, make sure the object is carried in a way that avoids blocking your vision. Never lift objects that are too heavy to handle comfortably. Get...

Cemetery Worker Safety A cemetery worker operates year round and in all weather. Tasked with job duties including grounds keeping, excavating, and equipment moving and setup, cemetery workers should use good work practices and get training on job hazards such as field safety, ergonomics, and excavation. Grave digging at a cemetery may be done by hand or with excavating equipment. Before you dig, ensure that there are no underground hazards such as pipes or utilities; don’t assume the area is clear. Get training on the use and maintenance of excavating equipment and inspect it before each use. If you use...

Housekeeping Lack of proper housekeeping on the job is one safety hazard common to all construction projects until after final cleanup. Good housekeeping is one item that can help improve not only the safety on the job, but also the morale and productivity of the job. Guide for Discussion The following “General Rules” should be covered in any discussion on housekeeping: Keep scrap lumber with protruding nails separate from other debris; Bend nails over or remove from lumber. Keep all waste debris in neat piles and away from the immediate work area. Remove debris from the job on a regular...

Floors and Other Openings Injuries in the workplace because of holes in walking and working surfaces are commonplace. Slips, trips and even falls from one level to the next can be as painful as a fall from a roof. The following items should be considered when dealing with floors and other types of openings. Guide for Discussion Hazard Identification: Floor Openings (2”x2” minimum at any depth) Temporary openings Plumbing Ventilation (Vault Ceilings?) Skylight wells Manholes Holes in Ground (Trenches and Excavations) Wall/Window Openings Temporary guardrail system Washington Fall Protection Standards Methods of Protection Use of standard guardrails Use of covers...

Site Safety Inspections Regular site safety inspections using site-specific checklists keep the workplace safe by identifying and correcting hazards in the workplace. Inspection frequency depends on the hazard level of the workplace; sites may need checks at every shift, daily, quarterly or annually. Document the inspection observations, identified hazards, and the corrective actions taken. Focus on the administrative records and postings at the workplace. Safety Data Sheet (SDS) binders, safety programs, procedures, trainings, and records need to be up to date and accurate. Critical procedures (e.g. spill cleanup, evacuation) should be posted in prominent locations. Required employer postings (e.g. Cal/OSHA,...

Effects of Weather There is one element in the construction business that we have no control over—the elements— the weather. However, we can control how the weather affects the safety of a project. Guide for Discussion Wind: Can blow dust in your eyes. Can blow materials and people off scaffolds, roofs or higher floors. Can blow down poorly braced formwork or newly framed walls. Lightning: Often electrical storms occur without any rain. Therefore are very dangerous. Be sure to stay away from any type of tall object. If working around iron or rebar and lighting is seen, clear the area....

Animal Processing Safety Animal processing safety facilities combine the hazards of working with live animals along with moving machinery and cutting tools. If you work in an animal processing plant, get training on animal handling and the equipment and processes you will be using. Animals can be unpredictable, so keep your distance during transport and entry to the processing plant. Keep animals calm. Contact with stressed animals can lead to kicks, bites, and scratches. Wear steel-toed shoes with slip-resistant soles to protect your feet. Sturdy work gloves protect your hands. Stunning of animals can be accomplished by an electric stun...

Power Tools Safety Power tools get jobs done with efficiency and reduced effort. But with power comes responsibility. Power tools can cause injury and even death if they are not used properly. Appropriate training, safe work practices, and power tool maintenance are key to preventing accidents. Only trained workers should use power tools on the job. Training should include reviewing the instruction manual, how to inspect the tools before each use, and following the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule. When maintaining and inspecting power tools, keep the followings tips in mind: Use properly sized fittings and parts for the power tools. Keep...

Loading Dock Safety While a loading dock is an important utility infrastructure commonly found in commercial and industrial buildings, it can be a potentially dangerous place for anyone that works on or around the area. From 2004 to 2014, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigated 209 injuries and nearly half were fatalities. Loading Dock Hazards The loading dock area must be inspected regularly to identify potential hazards that may include: Slips, trips and falls caused by floor conditions, poor housekeeping, or dock edge. Forklifts overturning. Pedestrian and powered truck collision. Trailer creep, which can cause a gap between...