Archive for category: Tool Box Talks

Alright truth be told, for the most part I’m horrible at New year’s resolutions. Maybe it’s because I usually only make it a few days without treats🤷 and then I break. A treat free life is not something I truly believe in. But I do believe this is a great time to reflect and try to be better and safer at work… That is something I can definitely get behind (especially because I can still have treats at break). Seriously, all jokes and treats aside… This is a great time to mentally go over any near misses, close calls or scares you had last year. Pick these incidences apart, what could you have done differently, what did you learn and what will you do next time? Take some time to ensure this year is even safer than last… so you’re still around to indulge in treats.

The holidays are definitely the best part of the year. It’s socially acceptable to over indulge in almost everything. The food, the gifts, the drinks and the parties, it truly is a wonderful life. However, if you are partaking in a few glasses of holiday cheer, be sure you have a safe ride home. It’s hard to believe this still needs to be said in 2018. There is absolutely no excuse to drive if you are impaired. You can call a friend or family member, call a taxi or Uber or use the many services available during the holiday season such as Keys Please. If you know you’ll be drinking, plan ahead and leave your vehicle at home and try and plan a designated driver. If you accidentally have one too many (no judgement… we’ve all been there) wait for a cab or Uber. If you think you may be tempted to drive while you wait, give your keys to a friend. No matter what safe way you use to get home, it’s the right way. Otherwise you could be ending your night in jail or worse. Fatalities involving alcohol jump up around 30% this time of year. Don’t be a part of this statistic. Make sure you find a safe way home to continue celebrating the holidays… all those cookies aren’t going to eat themselves. Have fun and be safe. 🍾💃🍷🕺🥂🎄

(Please read the following with the voice over from a infomercial) Have that hard to buy for person? Maybe pulled the most impossible name for the work secret Santa? What says “I’m wishing you a merry and safe Christmas” more than giving PPE for a gift. The list is endless, gloves, safety glasses, hard hats, ear plugs and respirators. But wait… there’s more! This is the gift that keeps on giving! Your friend or loved one can count on you to be safe in the New year! Okay, the voice over can stop now. All jokes aside, depending on the company or site your friends or family work for, PPE may not be provided. Many workers are responsible to bring their own personal protective equipment. This can lead to them running out of something or making due with what they have, which can lead to injuries. So in all, actuality it’s not a horrible idea to put a few pairs of gloves or ear plugs under the tree this year for that worker you want to see come home safely every day.

Nobody ever intends to block an emergency exit or a fire extinguisher. However, sometimes we need to put something down or out of the way for “just a second” and then it becomes forgotten and more stuff begins piling up. You may think it’s not a huge deal… but truth be told, it is. In a life or death situation, seconds mean everything. So let’s go over a few tips to avoid blocking violations.

 

First off, what areas should never be blocked? You never want to block these 6 areas… emergency exit, first aid box, eyewash/shower stations, fire extinguisher, power disconnect/panels and walkways. Think about how awful it would be trying to escape a fire and your emergency exit is blocked with a stack of boxes. Or you get a solvent in your eye and you have to try and maneuver around trash bins to reach the eyewash station. This is why these areas are a block free zone. So here’s how we make sure that happens.

 

Take the responsibility upon yourself. If you’re at a new site/shop take a look around. Find the 6 areas listed above and make sure they are not blocked or locked. Do random checks to ensure they stay free and clear. There should be signage indicating what needs to be cleared. Talk to your co-workers, if you see someone blocking an area, politely educate them. Your safety crew should be doing regular audits, to ensure nothing is blocked or locked. If need be, get approval, the grab some yellow paint and paint some “block free zones”.

 

This is one of those things we hope we never have to use or rely on. But in those emergency situations a readily available fire extinguisher, emergency power disconnect or any of the other areas clear of road blocks could be the difference between life or death. So do your part to put a stop to blocking validations.

Nobody wants to go to work, never crack a smile, never laugh and be all business all the time. We need a certain level of camaraderie but when joking around becomes a safety issue… It’s not fun anymore. It’s more than fine to make some jokes and get people laughing, I actually encourage it. Happier workers are usually better workers. But just like your tasks at work, put some thought into what you say and do. Am I saying write out a JHA for every joke you wish to say? Well, yes and no. No, you don’t actually have to write out a hazard report but put some thought and/or planning into it. Will your joke or comments cause another worker to become too distracted, or does it have the potential to cause injury, or make someone feel uncomfortable or angry? Will it slow down production? These are real questions you need to ask yourself before you start your one man comedy show. If there are no hazards involved, go ahead and ham it up. Being safe may be boring and dry, but I don’t see how the alternative is funny at all. So go ahead and be funny or have a laugh but be safe too.