Fall injuries. This blog is a little different from many of my earlier blogs. It relies solely upon my experience as a safety manager for companies over the years. It is a laymen’s comment. The discussion is about fall injuries and why they are so problematic. First, a fall injury may arise from a simple [...]
2019 LOTO 1910./147, https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/factsheet-lockout-tagout.pdf So your company works repairing water, oil, hydraulic, pneumatic or electrical devices. Each of these items can be “stored energy”. Your employees from time to time undertake a task that directly contacts a system handling any of the above. Employees must have a clear understanding of how to safely work with [...]
Falls. What goes up must come down. An old saying you’ve likely heard before. It is true because gravity is everywhere. But did you know 38% of all deaths in the construction work place are falls. And, fall injuries typically constituted the longest recovery time as well as the long term disability. Falls can occur [...]
Repurposing your safety manual. Safety manuals establish sound safety practices for your employees. But did you know you can also use them as a source of safety tool box talks? Yup. All the tool box safety talks you need is right there on your desk (or in your truck). All you need is a sign-up [...]
Safety on ladders and stairways. New and improved method of avoiding falls from ladders, stairs and equipment: 3 Points of contact! Work place injuries are a plague on business: Loss of a valuable employee, down time or slower progress on the project, economic costs. You’ve heard it all before. You know this first hand as [...]
When I first entered the safety profession as a safety manager for a construction company I recall my soon to be boss saying I’d be responsible for company safety practice. Well, I was up for that. I can help. But conversations with my boss and others after hire started showing some “differences” my definition of [...]
So, your insurance agent calls up and asks if he can stop by to chat. You say sure, always have coffee on, stop on by. The agent stops in and after some chit chat says the work comp insurance company is notified him they have some concerns with the account. You say, well, we’ve had [...]
Hydrogen sulfide safety. In the safety world hazard recognition plays a vital role in keeping your people safe from unsafe behaviors and/or conditions. Some hazards are easily recognized, for example an employee climbing up a 20 foot ladder with tools held in both hands. (This is a fall hazard by the way.) Common sense right? [...]
“If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else.”, so said Laurence J. Peter, a professor at the University of Southern California whose works touched the business world. (He is well known for the “Peter Principal”.) Peter’s above quote essentially points out that action lacking a clear objective will [...]