First Aid Kits

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Just like anything else on site, a first aid kit needs maintenance too. This insures the items are fully stocked even after supplies are used. How horrible would it be if you were standing there bleeding and all the bandages were missing? While working on some sites you are actually in the middle of nowhere and the first aid kit could be your lifeline, so make sure to follow these quick tips to be ready for anything thrown your way.

First off, everyone should know where the first aid kit is stored which should be in a place readily available. In the box of your foreman’s pick-up will not due. It should be stored in a weatherproof/waterproof container.  They are to be inspected on a regular basis. Usually a first aider will be assigned this task. When inspecting, check that all items are labeled, fully stocked and have not expired. Whenever using the kit, make sure to replace any items you have removed from the kit. There should be a checklist to help you restock.

Hopefully, you only ever need an antacid (because well… too much camp food) but in an emergency, having a fully equipped first aid kit could just save your life.

 

Bear Safety

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Bear attacks rarely happen but when they do, they can be fatal. An incredibly tragic bear mauling happened a few years ago, just outside of Fort McMurray. At the time I was working at a site not too far from where the tragedy happened and we were flooded with bear safety. Unfortunately sometimes as time goes on, people become complacent but it’s important that we never forget the danger and never let our guard down. We need to know what to do in the unlikely event of a bear encounter so maybe another fatality can be avoided.

First off, try and avoid any encounter at all. If working in a heavily wooded area, by a water source or food source, make noise. Lots of it, sing, yell, clap, do whatever it takes to let any bears know you are there. If you see a bear, don’t go near it. Make sure you’re not blocking its path to leave or come between mama and her cubs. At this point you no longer want to make loud noises, calmly talk to the bear and move slowly away. Do not make eye contact with the bear, they think this is a sign of aggression but do keep the bear in your sights. I know saying ” stay calm” and actually doing it in the situation are two different things but it could be the difference between an encounter and an attack. Do not make sudden movements and definitely do not try and run. In the case of an attack, play dead. Lay in the fetal position or on your stomach with hand and arm wrapped around the back of your neck. Do not move and stay put until the bear is out of sight. However, if the bear is predatory, meaning it has been stalking you and attacks you out of the blue, you need to deter it by any means necessary. Yelling, punching, bear spray whatever it takes.

Another site I worked at, we had a lengthy bus ride to site from camp every day. We would see bears weekly if not daily at times. They are amazing to see when you’re safely passing by in a large bus but not if you’re in close proximity to them. Please take all provisions necessary to protect yourself. Carry bear spray, be alert and make noise. Keep your bear sightings from the safety of buses and other vehicles.

Be sure to check out our Bear Safety Awareness course on our website.

Horseplay

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I know you may think some pranks are harmless such as the old switch the polarity on the welder or get the green as grass worker to catch the welding fumes with a garbage bag or mess with someone’s PPE. Even though no one is intended to get injured, it’s still a very real possibility. Now when it comes to more physical pranks such as tripping, pushing or hitting, the outcome is inevitable… Someone will get hurt.

If you see such horseplay taking place please ask the participants to stop or report it. I know you’re thinking you don’t want to “rat” or “tell” on your coworkers, but the truth is you could be saving them from an injury or even death. Make sure not to encourage this behaviour, no laughing or egging on. If you’re engaging in horseplay and someone asks you to stop, listen. They aren’t being a poor sport or boring, they have your best interest in mind. Every company on site will have their own horseplay policy. These policies are in place to protect you, not to make your day mundane. Your safety is no game.

Friday the 13th

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Happy Friday the 13th everyone! For a lot of you this day is spooky and scary and one where you may take extra precautions with everything you do. Maybe you might double check your tools before you use them, make sure not to walk under a ladder, or hold on extra tight while climbing a ladder. However superstitious you may be, you should be careful everyday not just on Friday the 13th. This is not a day where an accident should be expected because of creepy powers that be; you are in control of your own safety. As much as you may think Friday the 13th is a scary day, if you ask me Mondays are worse. Maybe still watch out for a black cat crossing or a guy in a hockey mask but other than that, have a killer weekend.

Smoking on Site

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As a non smoker I used to feel like everyone on site smoked especially my welder colleagues. You know the type… the worker that’s been welding for 40 years and every time they lift their lid there is a burnt, down to the filter cigarette hanging out of their mouth. (OMG there are so many things wrong with that!) It blows me away that so many people still smoke in this day and age, but the truth is the majority of us trades people smoke. Other than the obvious health hazards to yourself and second hand smoke to us close by, there are serious risks associated with smoking on site.

Smoking near any ignition source is putting everyone at risk. Be sure that you are at least 50 feet from any refueling station.  All paints and other flammable chemicals are out of the designated smoking area. Steer clear of wood or dusty areas, these can go up in flames in a flash.

Only smoke in designated smoking areas and during the designated times allowed. Some sites are deemed smoke free, (nonsmokers rejoice!) however I have never seen one. Most sites do have strict smoking rules to adhere to and failing to do so can leave you not only unemployed but also banned from that site for life. So make sure you know exactly where and when you can smoke. Please note this includes cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes and vape pens. Deciding to ignore smoking guidelines can lead to more than just a personal health hazard. Just because you are willing to put your life on the line one cigarette at time… Doesn’t mean the rest of us are.

 

Line of Fire

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I’ve always thought the term line of fire sounded pretty dramatic, but when you think about it; it should. For some reason the image of someone standing directly in front of a worker grinding is what comes to mind when I think of the line of fire… Probably because you are literally in the line of fire. However it can be much more dangerous than this (please don’t think standing in front of someone grinding is not dangerous, it definitely is) you need to take precautions to keep yourself out of the line of fire and make sure you’re not endangering somebody.

Line of fire injuries generally fall into three categories, crushing, striking and stored energy. Obviously the best way to avoid these injuries is to completely eliminate them but that’s not always possible. In that case be aware of them. This is what your pre-work inspections and JHA’s are for. When you and your crew are aware of the hazards, you can work together to minimize them. A few quick examples, when guiding a rigged pipe, use a tagline instead of your  hands (crushing), have a spotter while operating any heavy equipment (striking) and have precautions set up for the release while cutting a large piece of metal (stored energy).

No matter what you’re working on, be sure to know the hazards, knowing them will help you remove or minimize them. Meaning you’re removing your chance and others of injury with no drama class needed!

 

Accident Ownership

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When companies say they are striving for 100% incident free sites… Is that even possible? I know from my own experience on sites, the general consensus is that it’s impossible. Many people have an “accidents just happened” attitude. But that’s just not true. Accidents happen for a reason. We need to start taking ownership of why they happen to prevent them in the future. They happen because of a whole slew of factors being overlooked.

Things like fatigue, complacency, wandering mind, lack of training and straight-up carelessness is what causes 100% of accidents/incidents. When it comes down to it, human error is always the culprit. I know some of you are thinking that not all incidents are because of humans. What about when a machine goes haywire? Okay, is it not our responsibility to do pre-work inspections? To repair damaged equipment or tag it out? Yes it is. So therefore we should be catching anything that could be a hazard. Even “freak accidents” have ways to be minimized. What about someone getting hit by lighting on site? Why is that worker not taking shelter during a lighting storm? The chance of getting hit by lighting while inside a building is one and million. We could do this all day. At the very root of every accident or incident is a worker who wasn’t paying attention, or was exhausted or didn’t have training, or just didn’t give a damn.

Making a personal goal to strive for a 100% accident or incident free work site doesn’t make you a company boot-licker, it makes you in control of your future. If we all did that and dropped the “accidents just happened” attitude, we would all be guaranteed a safe work environment.

Skid Steer Safety

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I know skid steers are considerably smaller than most equipment on site. Compared to heavy equipment like excavators, they look like toys. However these small, little machines can cause a whole lot of damage. Most injuries and deaths that occur with skid steers are caused by workers caught between the bucket and something else. Pinning incidents and other hazards can be avoided, here’s how.

Only operate a skid steer if you are qualified to do so, having a ticket isn’t enough. Make sure you are deemed competent. Always do your pre-work inspection every time you are about to operate the skid steer. Along with the pre-work inspections you should be doing a more in-depth analysis every so many hours that you run the skid steer. This will be in the operator’s manual. Check to make sure the last inspection was done and know when it’s needed again. Read the the manual. Put your seat belt on and start up the machine.

Never leave the skid steer unattended while it’s running. Always put the bucket down to the ground when parking it. Travel with your bucket low to the ground. Watch the weight of your load and counter balance.

If operating with other workers in the area, try and flag off your area or have a spotter to direct workers safely around the moving skid steer. Always make eye contact with workers wishing to cross in front of you. Stop immediately if visual contact is lost with your spotter. And of course no bucket rides and stay seated while driving.  Just because they look like toys compared to the much larger equipment on site, does not mean they they should be treated as such. These machines can cause serious injuries and death. So make sure not to toy around with your safety or that of someone else’s.

Backup Safety

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Some of the heavy equipment on sites can be impossible to backup without a spotter.  Or if you’re like me, a car is just as impossible. (I’m not a bad driver, just parking challenged). Whatever you’re driving you need to follow the right precautions while backing up to save property from being damaged and most importantly prevent injury or death.

Most sites nowadays have a spotter policy while backing up. Meaning any time you backup anything you must have a spotter. I know you may be thinking you don’t need a spotter to backup your company pickup truck, however pickup trucks lead to more injuries on work sites than any other vehicle.

I would recommend following these steps whether you have a spotter or not. Always do a walk around your vehicle before even getting in. Check to make sure your tail lights and back up alarm are in good working order. Also note any hazards. Flag off stationary equipment that could be missed while backing up. You can even use barricades to prevent anything from backing into said equipment. Of course always watch where you are going, whether over your shoulder or via backup camera. If possible drive through a parking spots, this will remove backing up from the equation. I highly recommend always using a spotter. If you are using a spotter make sure they are wearing high res vests to help maintain constant visual contact. Stop the vehicle if visual contact is lost.

These simple steps will make backing up a breeze. It only takes a couple extra minutes to do this, but it could save from days of paperwork or the alternative.

3 Points of Contact

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Whether you’re exiting an excavator, hiking up stairs or climbing to the top of the high line, maintaining 3 points of contact could save you from a nasty spill. Here are some rules to go by.

When exiting equipment or even a worksite pickup don’t jump out or slide down. Maintain contact by using the handles and steps provided. Take a quick look to see the hazards below such as ice or puddles and take appropriate precautions to avoid them. When using stairs, always use the railing. When using ladders, go slow to maintain contact. Have both your hand on the ladder before stepping out. This would be impossible to do while carrying tools, so make sure to use a tool hoist instead of carrying them. Be careful to stay inside the side rails, don’t lean out for any reason. Always check the condition of the ladder, whether fixed or not. Watch for hazards such as ice or mud that could make the climb slippery. Note that a fixed ladder should continue 3 feet past the landing. If not notify your foreman, they can call the right people to fix it. Fixed ladders will also have cages, these are the last line of defense and won’t stop you from falling so do not count on them.

I know maintaining 3 point contact slows things down a bit, but rushing is when accidents happen and hey, you get paid by the hour.. win, win!