Spider Safety

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If you’re like me and probably most of the world… You absolutely hate spiders. They have no business with all those extra legs and eyes. Psychologically, I know for the most part they’re harmless but emotionally..they must all die! Other than the heebie-jeebies and the heart attack we have when we see them, here in Canada we don’t have too much to worry about when it comes to these despicable creatures. Here’s some information on the ones you want to watch out for.

We only have two types that can cause real hazards; which are the black widow and brown recluse. Both of which are not common… Thank goodness. The brown recluse has a violin shaped marking on its back. The colour can vary from brown to a sandy tan colour with the violin marking a darker brown. It only has 3 pairs of eyes instead of 4 (I just threw up) and can get up to a half inch in size. If you get bitten by a brown recluse, you will more than likely see a red swollen bite area. Wash with soap and water right away and put ice on it intermittently for ten minutes. If you know you were bitten by a brown recluse or it’s a child or elderly person, seek medical attention right away. If you’re not certain what bit you, keep a look out for a fever, chills, nausea, sweating or just feeling unwell. I can’t stress how unlikely it is to come in contact with a brown recluse here in Canada. Black widows are very distinct. They are shiny black or dark brown with a red or orange hourglass shape on their undercarriage. (People most commonly think it’s on their back but that’s the males or juveniles, and it’s the females that have the venom we want to avoid). If you know you have been bitten by a black widow, seek treatment immediately. The symptoms are very similar to that of a recluse but also adding, trouble breathing, increased blood pressure, muscle cramps and headaches. Contrary to popular belief, a black widow bite is not life threatening only in very rare circumstances.
So in conclusion if you think you’ve been bitten by either type, seek medical treatment immediately. Also in conclusion, I may never sleep again so I hope this was helpful for you… Seriously all I can think about is these hideous beasts.

Bringing Safety Home

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For 8-12 hours a day we are bombarded with safety talk and rules at work. Yet when we come home, it’s goes out the window. I know I’ve been guilty of loading on the PPE at work…respirator, boots, gloves, ear plugs, hard hat, etc. etc…. and then coming home and mowing my lawn in flip flops and shorts. How does that make any sense? If we want safety to be our culture, it needs to be at home too.

When doing a task at home, think about what safety precautions you would use at work and follow suit. Use the correct PPE. If you’re mowing the lawn, wear long pants, work boots, ear plugs and safety glasses. If your painting or working in a dusty area, wear a respirator. If you’re cleaning with hazardous chemicals, wear gloves and goggles. Make sure to store and dispose of hazardous materials properly including household cleaners. Do regular inspections of your fire alarms. If you have small children, make sure to anchor tall or unstable furniture like dressers or TVs.

Yes, at times it can feel like safety overload at work… So I get it. You want to come home and forget all about work. But bringing safety home isn’t just about reducing the hazards we face at home, it’s also about teaching our children to put Safety First… And that’s a true safety culture.

Hand Tool Inspection

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We talk a lot about doing pre-work inspections on heavy equipment and power tools. But hand tools seem to get forgotten along the way.  As simple as these tools may seem, an inspection is still necessary. A bent wrench or a dull knife can cause significant injuries.

Do a once over with your tools every time you use them. Look for corrosion, the temper is still intact, mushroom heads, chips in drill bits or screwdrivers, bent, worn or broken handles. Make sure to repair them before use or tag them out. It also pays to keep your tools clean and stored neatly when not in use.

Doing a 5 second inspection could save you from a potential injury. You should never be in that much of a hurry that a few seconds will set you back… An injury will set you back much longer than that.

Work Boot Safety

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I always say, “3 things to never cheap out on are a mattress, a haircut and work boots”. Ever get a $10 haircut? How’d that work out for you? Yeah, boots are the same, you get what you pay for. So step up your expectations from your boots.

First off, every site will expect your boots to be CSA approved, at least 6″ tall and a raised heel (unless you are an ironworker). Make sure to have the puncture plate. When picking what type of toe you will have, you have your choice of steel, aluminium or composite toes. All of which are good choices. Make sure the sole is durable and slip resistant. If you’re a welder you should consider a metatarsal cover. Don’t forget comfort. Make sure you have room for extra socks in the winter, steel toe boots don’t stretch with wear, so get a good fit. A good pair of work boots are not cheap do your research and take care of them. You may consider adding a polyurethane adhesive to the outside of the toe. It’s inexpensive and will keep your boots new and safe, longer.

Work boots sole purpose is to protect your feet, make sure you buy the proper ones… You don’t want to be dead on your feet at work. Just some foot-for thought, toe-tally worth thinking about though. As for the $10 haircut? Well  another great reason to wear your hard hat.

Communication

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Have you ever tried explaining something and your coworker just has a blank look on their face?  Maybe people always say you’re yelling but you’re just trying to articulate your thought or idea? Not communicating what you mean to someone could lead to serious safety hazards. No matter if you’re the project manager or the new apprentice on site, we could all improve our communication skills. Here are some suggestions of things to follow.

Listening is the key to good communication. Don’t just wait for your turn to talk, actually listen, repeat things back for clarification. Non verbal communication is also key, don’t stand with your arms crossed, looking at the ground. Make eye contact and have a relaxed stance, this make you more approachable. When talking, be direct and firm but of course still friendly. If giving directions, try and use hand gestures to help explain. Always be respectful, even if you don’t agree with what someone is saying. Try to be open-minded and willing to receive feedback.

Bad communication could lead to injury or even death. Take extra precautions when using heavy equipment such as when rigging. Always use your JHA to help communicate the task at hand and if needed have a pre task meeting. If you are unsure of anything, make sure to ask questions. This could be the difference between a task going smoothly and an incident.

Night Shift

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If you’ve ever worked night shift then you know how much it can throw you off. Working during your usual sleep time can cause real physical symptoms along with zombie like reflexes; all of which contribute to serious hazards on site. Here are a few things you can do on and off site to help you get through the graveyard shift.

Before even coming to work, you can help lower your risk factor by maintaining a regular sleep pattern and eating a healthy well-balanced diet. Treat your start time as if it were in the morning, get a nap in before work and a good meal. Avoid fatty and fried food, they make you even more zombieish (I know that’s not a real word). Try finding a co-worker to carpool with. Having someone to talk to you will help you stay awake, you can take turns if someone is too tired to drive… especially on the way home.

Once on site, make sure to do your JHA. This helps you pinpoint the hazards for the night and keeps you on your toes. Make sure your work area is well lit and you’re wearing your inspected PPE. Take your breaks, don’t try and be the hero and work through your breaks. Your body will need the rest.

Generally there are more incidents on night shift due to poor reflex time, wandering minds and just overall exhaustion. Its unavoidable, there will be times on night shift when you feel like the living dead. Take it upon yourself to be proactive, get the rest you need so you can come home undead… As in not dead.

Working Alone

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Working alone sounds like a blast… Grab a nap, check your Instagram maybe throw out a few texts? Except it’s not like that at all. Working alone actually means you’re further away from rescue crews and first aid. If anything happens, it could be deadly.

Working alone is only done if necessary. It’s not a holiday away from your co-workers. There is quite a bit of paperwork that goes into you being a lone ranger.  You and your supervisor will do a hazard assessment and the outcome of that usually determines when check-in’s will be. This may be at every break, every hour or whenever you both deem appropriate. It is your responsibility to check in, so set a timer. Make sure you do your check-in’s on time or an emergency crew could be sent to rescue you. Most times your supervisor will give you a radio to check-in but there may be times where you will be given a number to call into a call center to check-in. I can’t stress enough…it is your responsibility to check-in.

I have worked alone many times and it does sound like a nice break, till you’re out there alone and it sinks-in. Make sure to take extra precautions, work slow and steady. Get the job done and come home safely… And then you can take that well deserved nap.

Do as I say, Not as I do

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Working in an industry where people apprentice under veteran tradespeople is pretty amazing. I remember the first apprentice I had… I was probably more nervous than they were. Think about it… We are shaping this person into the trades person they will be, which also includes how safe they are. That’s a big task. So when I hear an expert trades person say “do as I say, not as I do” I want to shake them. We need to lead by example. If we were training our son or daughter, would we use that expression? Would you tell your children not to drink and drive, then toss back a few cold ones and give them a ride to soccer practice? I’d definitely hope not. So why is this expression and this attitude acceptable? We need to change our perspective. Use mistakes as a moment to teach about near misses and how we learn from them. Teaching your apprentice through your own safety is a two for one deal… Who doesn’t love a deal?

Chemicals on the Job

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Depending on the trade you work in, you could come into contact with some pretty hazardous chemicals, we’re not just talking dish soap here (which can actually be hazardous in some situations). The chemicals used on sites can be anything from corrosives to cutting fluids. In order to protect yourself, you need to follow these steps.

Know where the MSDS are kept. It should be readily available for all employees. Reading the label and the MSDS will tell you everything you need to know, including: the proper PPE, the first aid to be administered, the safe handling and disposal of the chemical in use. If there is no label or its illegible, do not use it and report it to a supervisor. If a chemical is kept in a secondary container, be sure to label it clearly. Use the required PPE. Regular safety glasses or gloves may not offer the right protection. Always inspect your PPE before use but just in case something fails, make note of eyewash stations and safety showers beforehand.

These chemicals can cause damage by contacting your skin, breathing in, or ingesting. So make sure you follow the MSDS and steer clear of these chemicals.

 

The Right Gloves for the Job

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You would never wear rubber gloves to grind or cotton gloves to work with chemicals would you? Of course not. But sometimes we quickly move from one task to the next without paying attention to our digits. Here is a reminder of what gloves are to be paired with what job.

Leather gloves should be used for handling metal, sharp objects or when using heat. Most commonly used for welding. Cut resistant gloves are great if you’re cleaning out a lathe. Shock dampening and anti vibration gloves are your best options if your working with pneumatic tools. Chemical resistant gloves are offered in various types of coatings to give you the most protection. Rubber gloves may also be an option when working with some chemicals and when worn under other gloves they offer great insulation for electricity. You also have your most common construction site gloves, mostly cotton with leather fingertips. These will protect you against minor cuts, scrapes and most day to day tasks.

This is just the beginning of the types of gloves offered. Every trade and every task has specific gloves. No matter what the job, there’s a glove for that! Be sure to use it.