Extension Cord Safety

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The first thing that comes to mind when I think of extension cord safety is Clark Griswold from Christmas vacation. You know the Christmas light scene, where he has probably 3000 Watts running through a single 16 gauge cord with a power bar plugged into another power bar. As funny as that scene was, it’s a movie. In real life while working on site, that kind of negligence would be shocking to see. Here are some pointers to keep you safe.

Always use a cord rated for the job you’re doing, make sure the cord gauge of the extension cord is the same size or larger than what you’re plugging into it. Check the rating. Never jam a three prong plug into a two prong extension cord. Never remove the ground prong. Always inspect a cord before use, if there is any damage, replace the plug with a new one or tag out the whole cord if needed. Always remove by holding the plug, not the cord. Keep out of stairways and high traffic areas. Use drop covers or pull them overhead. Keep away from anything that can expose the wiring, such as welding and grinding.

No matter if you’re pulling cords to the high line to do some cutting or you’re decorating your house for Christmas, make sure you exercise safe extension cord use. The alternative could be jolting.

 

Drugs and Alcohol

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I remember going for my first drug and alcohol test before heading up to Fort Mac. I asked the nurse testing me if anyone’s ever failed the alcohol portion. I was shocked to hear that at least once a week someone comes in and is so intoxicated they can’t let them drive!  Look I know we all like to have a drink or two after a hard week at work or a long stint in camp, I’m totally game for that. But when it starts affecting your work and especially the safety of others… then we have problem. We all need to know the signs of alcohol and substance abuse at the workplace.

The usual signs of substance abuse and excessive drinking include but are not limited to, poor performance at work, lack of interest at work, poor grooming, being late and leaving early, excessive trips to the bathroom, agitated, anxious, blood shot eyes, smells of alcohol, weight loss, tired and very defensive if questioned about any of these. Someone under the influence of drugs or alcohol is not alert enough to keep safety a top priority; therefore, they need to be removed from site. You are not “ratting” on them or “telling” on them you are protecting your safety. If you suspect someone is under the influence at work, please report it to your foreman.  They will get the help they need and you can feel safe on the job.

Eye Safety

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I know, I know another PPE post! We can’t drill this in hard enough. Not wearing the correct safety glasses or any at all just for a second could cause you a lifetime of pain. Think about life without your sight… It doesn’t look good. I know they are not the most fashionable accessory but neither are eye patches? Here are a few things to think about when it comes to protecting your eyes.

 

In some cases you will need double the protection or a different kind of eye protection. When grinding, it’s advised that you wear a face shield… This doesn’t mean your safety glasses come off. Same with welding, make sure your glasses are under that lid. There are tons of hazards on site that are harmful to your eyes, grinding dust, wood particles, welding flash, chemical splash, slag or even the dust flying around.  You need something protecting those eyes every second.

If you wear prescription glasses you have two options, you can get prescription safety glasses, make sure they are CSA approved and have side shields or you can add them after too. You can also wear an over the glasses type of goggles. These will fit right over your day to day glasses. Wearing contacts to site is not recommended.  

You may need extra accessories for specific jobs. When working at heights you will need a strap, working with chemicals requires fully enclosed goggles and a foam gasket always helps keep debris out. Whatever the task is, make sure your eyes will see the light of another day. Always protect them with CSA approved safety glasses.

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Muster Points

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This is one of the first things brought up in your orientation on site or even in most safety training classes. This is not where you get toppings for a hot dog… it’s where workers safely assemble in the case of an emergency. These meeting points help avoid unaccounted for workers and work for even a huge scale of workers.  However, if we become careless about muster points, they are pointless. They might as well be signs that say “chaos” or “stampede” in their place. It’s a blessing if we never have to use these assembly points, but that doesn’t mean we can forget about them all together.

Always know where your muster point is. The one you had in orientation has probably changed and could change day to day, even hour to hour depending on where you’re working. If you’re not sure ask a supervisor. Please don’t settle for a general answer like “by the wash cart”. There are tons of wash carts. Get someone to point it out and if you need to, physically walk over to it so you won’t forget. Always write it on you JHA. Make sure you go over it with your partner or crew working in the same area. Always ask when signing into a JHA. Keep in mind, if an emergency does occur and you’re at the wrong muster point, no one will know where you are and a search could ensue. If you do end up at the wrong one, make sure you tell the appointed safety officer in charge of that muster point, so he/she can radio it in.  This will save everyone’s time and worrying about your whereabouts.


Muster points are one of the many things we pray we never have to actually use. However we need to be very aware of them. This is one of the reasons most sites do practice evacuations. This is great, but you need to take it upon yourself to always be in the know. Every time you change work areas, know your muster point and know you’ll be safe.

Forklift Safety

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A forklift lifting a forklift? I’ve seen it all now. I don’t think we need to go over this with our readers but just in case… Don’t EVER do this. Here are some forklift basics to keep you on your toes not your derriere.

Pretty basic stuff here guys… first off, make sure you’re certified and competent. Follow everyday traffic rules. Always wear your seatbelt, follow posted speed signs (if your site or workplace has them) and use your best judgement. Use your horn! Let people know you’re there, don’t surprise anyone. It’s not a race, so that means no passing and give a few car lengths if you’re behind another driver. If you are parking it, always put your forks to the ground and never leave a running forklift unattended.

While carrying a load make sure you can see, if the load is extra high, drive in reverse. You may have to reverse depending on the incline or decline of the terrain. Watch your counterbalance. If you’re not carrying a load your forks should be low but off the ground. Never let anyone under your forks and please no forklift rides… It may look fun but I guarantee, that will be the minute that Safety comes for a visit, or worse someone WILL get hurt.

This is just the very basics. If you’re interested in driving a forklift please get certified. Click the link to book your forklift class with us.   We will make sure you don’t end up like the senseless workers in this meme.

 

Hearing Protection

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Hearing loss is a natural progression of age. Is it common for an 80 year old to be yelling “Huh”? Of course it is. But without proper hearing protection, we are speeding up this process. So make sure you have the correct PPE on, or you could be yelling “Huh” just months into your career.

Anything above 85 decibels can be hazardous to your hearing. With grinding from 95-105 decibels, arc gouging at 115, to just using a common power tool at 94 decibels, we need to take the appropriate precautions.

You will usually have your choice of ear muffs or plugs. Muffs don’t always offer as much protection as plugs. Some ear muffs are not as protective with safety glasses, welding lids or hard hats unless you have the ones fastened right to your hard hat. Ear plugs are much more common and convenient. Usually the disposable kind are offered by employers. You can also get banded and custom ones. When using these, read and follow the directions. If your ear plugs are sticking out of your canals like Frankenstein bolts, they’re not working. Always make sure they are placed properly.

Ear protection should be worn at all times on site so pick what’s comfortable for you.
Wear the proper protection so hearing loss is only a possibility with age and when your spouse is nagging (Kidding… not kidding).

Suicide Prevention

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What does this have to do with work site safety? Well, yearly suicide rates are actually increasing in Canada, around 4000 a year or approximately about 10 a day. This is affecting everyone. 1 in 10 people have suicidal thoughts. The numbers alone tells us that there is probably someone on your crew or in your lunch room that is experiencing this. It could be the guy that is suddenly quiet and withdrawn, it could be the girl that always seems “fine” or it could be the successful GM. Most of the time there are no sure fire signs. There  are many reasons for these thoughts…depression, financial stress, grief, substance abuse and many, many more. Most people who attempt or commit suicide, talk about it at some point. They are not just looking for attention and should be taken seriously. Even if it seems like a casual comment. We need to start listening and being there for one another. You never know what someone is going through.

I know trades people think they are tough as nails, but, we need to stop and have these hard talks. We are losing our family members, our friends and yes…our co-workers. If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please get help! There is a way out. Please go to suicideprevention.ca for a crisis line in your area or call 911.

Happy Father’s Day

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Whether it’s teaching us to tie our shoes, learning our ABC’s or striking our first arc… Here’s to all our dads! Working hard at home and on site to ensure a better future.
If you’re a Dad please always take the time to be safe.  You need to make it back home to your rugrats…they need you….and to all the rugrats, don’t forget to treat your dad, he deserves it!

 

Happy father’s Day everyone.

 

Choosing the Right Respirator

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Respirators cover everything from simply sweeping the shop floor all the way up to entering an area with H2S. Knowing which respirator is needed for the job is crucial. Respirators fall into two categories: air purifying and supplied air (with some sub categories). let’s break it down.

Air purifying respirators will be the most common on site. These respirators will not protect you against oxygen deficient areas or heavily toxic areas. They are mostly designed to keep out particles and some gases. Under this category are, dust masks, half and full masks and powered air purifying respirator or PAPR. Make sure to read the MSDS to ensure you are using the right cartridge or filter for the job.

Air supplying respirators are used in the most hazardous areas. This is what you would wear to do a H2S rescue or to enter other very toxic or oxygen deficient areas. They include self contained breathing apparatus or SCBA and positive pressure air line respirators.

On most sites there will be some training that goes along with your respirator. You will learn about which respirator is required for a certain job, how to store it and how to clean it. For some jobs, respirators are optional but I strongly encourage you to take advantage of using them. Even though you may be working in an area that does not cause immediate harm, over time, whether it’s painting, welding or even sweeping, these particles or vapors can build up in your lungs and cause you all sorts of damage. So mask up and be safe.

JHA / FLRA / JSA

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JHA (Job Hazard Analysis), FLRA (Field-Level Risk Assessments) and JSA (Job Safety Analysis) are just a few of the more common terms used on sites. No matter what name you give them, they are a morning ritual on every site. I know it can feel redundant filling out the same card every day especially if you’re doing the same job day-in and day-out. But these cards are designed for a specific purpose and that’s your safety. JHA’s help you detail the hazards you may encounter during the day, this is something that you should go over to help you stay alert and to avoid complacency. So the worker that has a fully filled JHA in their back pocket and copies their card everyday is not doing themselves any favors. Or, the person who is working in a group and signs on to the JHA without reading it, is also not doing themselves any favors. You need to look around and think about what you will be doing. If you think it will be the same as the previous day, chances are it won’t. Things can change drastically from day-to-day on site, from weather, additional workers in your area making it congested, to new construction, anything and everything changes and that makes your hazards change too. Completing a card thoroughly only takes 15-20 minutes… And if your safety wasn’t enough to make you do a JHA properly, you also get paid to do them. You should have just as much pride in your safety as your workmanship.