Copyright 2012
June 2012 Daily Safety Toolbox Talks
Contents:
June 1 – Practice Safety on Your Own Time Too
June 2 – Don’t Spoil Your Summer
June 3 – Keep Your Back Strong
June 4 - Bang to Flash
June 5 – The Safety Work Zone
June 6 – Better to be Safe than Sorry
June 7- Keep Moving Forward
June 8- Hurrying or Working Efficiently
June 9- Common Sense and Awareness
June 10- Know Your Enemies –Workplace Hazards
June 11- Close Calls – A Forgotten Message
June 12- Not So Bright Ideas
June 13- Be in Control Behind the Wheel
June 14- Dog Bite Prevention
June 15- Protect Your Back
June 16- Take Pride in your Workplace
June 17- Drive Forwards – Not Backwards
June 18- Keep Fit for Safety
June 19- When the Heat is On
June 20 – Eye Protection – Safety Glasses
June 21- 12 Driving Errors
June 22- Tornado Season is Here
June 23- Asleep at the Wheel
June 24- Forget About Luck
June 25 Storms: Protecting, Yourself, Co-workers and Family
June 26 Pinch Points
June 27 Sprains and Strains
June 28 Tiny Ticks Carry Lyme Disease
June 29 Drivers Distractions
June 30 Hand Tools
Practice Safety On Your Own Time Too June 1
You are much more likely to be injured on your own time than at work.
That is why you need to practice living safely 24 hours a day, not just the eight or so when you are on the job.
National Safety Council statistics indicate seven out of eight fatalities and over half of disabling injuries for workers happen away from the job.
Here are some suggestions for practicing good safety habits off the job:
· Wear your seatbelt any time you are in a moving vehicle.
· Never drive after drinking or taking drugs, which could cause impairment.
· Get enough sleep, particularly before you drive or do other tasks requiring you to remain alert.
· Install enough fire extinguishers and smoke alarms in your home. Check them regularly to make sure they will work when needed.
· Schedule regular family fire drills so everyone can practice getting out safely in case of a fire.
· Get rid of tripping and slipping hazards around your home. Check for items left on the stairs, sidewalks and steps, cords crossing traffic areas. Clean up spills promptly, and install non-slip flooring in kitchens and bathrooms.
· Store any hazardous substances according to safety guidelines. Keep flammable liquids in a well-ventilated area away from any sources of ignition. Chemicals such as pesticides and cleaning compounds must be stored under lock and key, out of the reach of children. Follow directions to use these materials safely, wearing the correct Personal Protective Equipment.
· Wear the right PPE for any job around the home, just as you would at work. Lawn-mowing and operating other power tools calls for protective eyewear and safety footwear. Weekend construction projects should require hard hats.
· Avoid electrocution by using electrical equipment safely. You must be protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter when you use powered tools in any damp environment or outdoors. Take care to not overload electrical circuits with appliances, computers, sound systems and other devices.
· Lift safely no matter where you are. Off-the-job appliance and furniture moving accounts for many bad backs.
· Learn how to do sports and other recreational pursuits safely. Stretch prior to any exertion. Wear the right gear to protect yourself from injury and exercise regularly. You reduce the chances of getting hurt if you keep fit.
These are just some of the areas you should pay attention to in preventing accidents off the job. You probably have lots of other suggestions. Share them with your co-workers.
Don't Spoil Your Summer Fun! June 2
Don't take a vacation from safety! Summer activities have many hazards, so don't let an accident spoil your fun.
Here are some reminders for summer recreational safety:
- When traveling - whether to a nearby lake or across the country - drive safely. Allow enough time to drive within the speed limit and to rest frequently. Wear your seat belt and insist everyone do the same.
- Wear the appropriate Personal Flotation Device in a boat. You can be thrown into the water unexpectedly if the boat collides with another watercraft or an underwater object, or if a sudden storm swamps the vessel. Even in the summer, lakes and rivers can be cold enough to cause hypothermia in a short time.
- Don't mix alcohol with water sports, boating or driving. Fatal collisions, diving accidents and drownings are too often the result of alcohol consumption.
- Protect your skin from exposure to the sun. Sunbathing can be an unsafe activity because it can lead to skin cancer without proper protection. Wear hats and clothing to protect your skin when outdoors, and apply sunscreen regularly.
- Drink water frequently to prevent dehydration and heat illness. Soft drinks and coffee do not count because they can actually deplete the body's supply of fluid.
- Get in shape before trying strenuous sports. If you don't, the result can be strained muscles or other injuries. Warm up slowly, and take the time to cool down after your workout.
- Wear the right gear to prevent injuries. Helmets and pads are necessary for rollerblading. Sturdy boots with ankle support help prevent hiking injuries.
- When camping, never use a candle or a heater in a tent. The result can be a fire from which there is no escape.
- Prevent forest fires to protect lives and property. Build a campfire only where permitted, and make sure it is completely out before you move on.
- Keep your eye on the weather, so you can get to shore or adequate shelter before lightning or winds put you and your family in jeopardy.
- Protect your personal security at all times - on the road, in parking lots, at parks and campgrounds. Most people are there to have a good time just like you, but a few will prey on unwary vacationers. Lock your doors and stay alert. Know where your family members are at all times when you are traveling away from home.
- Eat a nutritious diet, and get enough sleep and rest. Good health habits will help you stay alert, strong and able to ward off accidents.
The summer season is a time to escape from your everyday concerns and really enjoy life. Just be sure to take safety with you!
Keep Your Back Strong! June 3
A strong and healthy back is the foundation of a strong and healthy body. It is important to keep your back in good shape to prevent injuries and help you to do your work well.
Back injuries and chronic back problems can be painful and disabling. Injuries can occur suddenly when lifting, by accidents such as falls, and automobile accidents. Back injuries can also develop over time from bad posture, repetitive motions, excess body weight, inactivity and other factors.
Here are some good habits to cultivate to keep your back strong and healthy:
- Use good posture when you stand. Keep your back straight, but not rigid. Check your posture in a mirror. You should see three natural curves in your spine - at the neck, the middle of the back and the lower back. These three curves give your spine an "S" shape. Another way to check your standing posture is to put your back to a wall. Your standing posture should have your head, neck and shoulders straight but relaxed. Your abdomen should be pulled in. When you are standing for long periods of time, try to move around occasionally. Have a stool nearby so you can sit sometimes. These habits are useful when you work at home when working in your shop or kitchen.
- Sitting posture is also important. Sit up straight; hunching over forward puts a strain on your upper back and neck and slumping down stresses your lower back. Put both feet on the floor or on a foot support so your knees are slightly elevated.
- Try not to sleep on your stomach because this puts a strain on your lower back. A low pillow at your neck can help you maintain a good posture.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Excess body weight puts a strain on your back and can result in lower back pain and other problems. Combine a moderate low-fat diet with regular exercise to keep your weight down.
- Stay fit. Maintain good muscle tone, especially in the back and abdominal muscles, which help support the back. Exercise regularly. If you have had back problems, ask your doctor about a safe exercise routine.
- Learn to rest and relax. Fatigue and tension can make you more vulnerable to back strain and other injuries of the muscles and connective tissues.
These general good health habits can prevent many back problems that build up over time. Correct lifting techniques are also very important for preventing back injuries.
- Follow all safety precautions for sports such as motorcycling, boating and horseback riding. Don't mix alcohol with these recreational pursuits.
Back care is a matter of good posture and health habits, safe lifting and accident prevention. A strong and healthy back is your foundation for a productive and enjoyable life!
"Bang to Flash" Lightning Calculation June 4
Lightning - summer's biggest light show - causes worker fatalities and injuries every year. Electrocution death, burns and brain damage are some of the effects. Lightning risks vary from one region to the next, from job to job and seasonally, but lightning safety knowledge is a good survival skill for everyone.
Most thunder and lightning storms occur during summer afternoons. Although individual fatalities are most common, almost 10 per cent of incidents involve multiple victims.
To estimate how far away lightning is, count the seconds between the flash and the sound of thunder. Each second is about a fifth of a mile, or 300 meters. If you count fewer than five seconds (a mile) take shelter immediately. This is known as the "flash to bang" method of calculation.
Outdoor workers are at a particular risk for lightning strikes. Danger zones include open fields, below solitary tall objects such as trees, near power lines and fences. Avoid metallic objects, high ground and proximity to other workers. At the first sign of thunder or lightning, move to a substantial building. Wait a while after the last lightning or thunder before resuming work.
If you are caught outdoors during a lightning storm, avoid any objects, which are likely to attract an electrical charge. This would include tractors, power tools, motors, tools such as shovels, tall objects such as power lines or canopies.
Look for a low area such as a ditch. You don't want to be the tallest object in the area.
If you are caught in the open, crouch down with your feet together. Do not lay down flat. You need to minimize your contact with the ground to lessen the risk of electrocution.
If you are indoors during a lightning storm stay away from doors, windows, water, plumbing, electrical appliances, computers and televisions. Lightning can strike electric, telephone and cable lines, transmitting a jolt through telephones, TVs and electrical equipment.
What if you are driving a vehicle? Pull off the road in a location away from trees, which might fall on you. Turn on the emergency flashers and turn off the engine. If you are in an enclosed metal frame vehicle, stay there. Do not touch metal objects connected to the outside of the vehicle - door and window handles, steering wheel and radio controls. Instead, sit with your hands in your lap.
If you are operating enclosed heavy equipment such as a backhoe or grader, turn off the engine and wait out storm with your hands in your lap. Do not attempt to step off the equipment during a close lightning storm.
Lightning kills about 100 in the United States alone each year. When lightning threatens, take the appropriate precautions.
The Safe Work Zone June 5
It is important to establish a safe work zone around each and every job.
Each time we step into certain work areas, we are exposed to nearby hazards. These may include high voltage, high-pressure air, rotating machinery, flammable liquids, chemicals, radiation, explosive gases, and energized equipment.
In addition to these deadly hazards, we are also subjected to many perils, which, while they may not always be life threatening, have the capacity for serious injury. Such dangers come from low voltage electricity, falling objects, contaminants, noise, heat or cold, and the possibility of falling from higher levels.
The first step in the process of setting up a safe work zone is planning. It is of the utmost importance that we take the time to identify those hazards that pose a threat to our health and safety. There is no room for complacency when it comes to safety. It is not good enough to assume that conditions are the same now, as they were a month ago, a week ago or even yesterday.
We must be ever mindful that conditions change with time and circumstance, and that new and unforeseen perils can crop up at any time. Therefore, the safest way to identify the real hazards is by inspection of the work area - a simple walk-through. The few minutes we take to perform this task could save a life later on.
After the hazards have been identified, we should then set about to eliminate them or at least control those that we cannot eliminate. There is much we can do to achieve this end. We must use all the protective measures at our disposal to ensure that our safety and the safety of others are not endangered.
First and foremost, we must isolate, de-energize and tag out the equipment we are working on. Then we must tag the lockout points to remind others that they are being used for someone's safety. These are the basic first steps.
But as the danger levels increase, we must go farther than that. We must cordon off our work zones, place warning signs, post guards, deploy special tools and equipment, wear personal protective clothing and take all other measures necessary to safely do the job.