Friday the 13th

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

Grinding Safety

Oh man, I have seen it all when it comes to grinding. The no guard, no shield, no handle, one hand, reaching on a ladder worker… Yes, one worker was doing all of that in one shot. There was even a worker that told us how he uses bench saw blades on his grinder at home. He was all bandaged up a few days later. I feel like once workers get confident with their grinding skills, they forget how much damage they really do. Let’s go over some basics to refresh you.

Of course, always do a pre-work inspection, make sure discs have no chips or cracks and the grinder is in good working order. Wear all your PPE, glasses AND a face shield, ear plugs, gloves and a respirator. Make sure your hair is tucked  away and clothing’s not too baggy. No modifications to the grinder. Always have the guard in place and a handle on, no matter how tight your work area is. A good welder or fitter can get in tiny spots and still follow safety protocol… Just sayin. Have a good stance, use two hands and don’t overreach. You never know when you might get kick back and you need to be able to hold the grinder in place, otherwise it’s coming into your chest or face. Properly secure your work piece for this same reason. Use the right discs and accessories. Watch the ratting, some grinders have higher RPM’s than others and therefore take different discs. Only use a cutting disc for cutting. They will explode on an angle with any amount of pressure. It takes 2 seconds to change the disc, go back and forth between grinding and cutting rather than trying to use a cutting for grinding. Make sure to unplug the grinder before changing a disc or doing any repairs. Take note of where your sparks are going and make sure to stay away from ignition sources and other workers. Don’t leave a grinder running when you’re done. Always stall the disc until it’s at a standstill and unplug the cord.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve been using a grinder for 30 years or 30 days, you still need to follow the rules, they are there for a reason, and that’s your safety.

Electrocution

It’s not just the electrician’s on site that have to worry about electrical shock, everyone needs to take precautions to make sure they don’t get electrocuted. There could be any number of electrical hazards on site, so make sure to follow these tips to keep your hair on your head.

Always do your pre-work inspections, check your cords, power bars and work area for any electrical hazards. Repair any damaged tools or tag them out of service. Take precautions for live circuits with everything. Always use LOTO (lock out, tag out) while working on anything electrical. Use a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), this is the plugin with the “test” button and “reset” button. They have added protection against electronic shock. Also never wear jewelry on the job, metal is the best conductor of electricity. Make sure to stay dry, change your gloves frequently if needed. Keep all tools and equipment dry. Always use a “C” class fire extinguisher on electrical fires. In the case of someone being electrocuted, always try and disconnect the circuit first or remove the victim with a non conductive object like a broom handle or dry rags. Call for emergency crew and start first aid.

The electrical hazards on site are way more dangerous than just sticking your finger in a socket (which is no fun either… Yeah I was “that kid”). They can cause serious damage or even death. Make sure you take the proper precautions.

Canada Day/ Joyeux Jour Du Canada

Happy Canada Day to all 36,950,145 of our brothers and sisters. We have a lot to be proud of as Canadians. We may not be perfect but each and every one of us is blessed to live in this great country. So here’s to the war veterans, the law enforcement, the emergency crews, the doctors, the teachers, the newcomers and of course our trades people. This is for all the people that protect this amazing country and continue to build its future. We are the true north, strong and free!