Hazard Awareness The Little Things Count Most of us have probably heard the old saying, "It's the little things that count." There are many small things that influence our lives, and ignoring them can sometimes have serious consequences -- particularly when it comes to safety. We have all been trained to watch out for the big hazards that could harm us, but the little ones can sometimes cause serious injuries too. One company became very concerned when its accident frequency showed a large increase over a three-month period. Management began an in-depth check of systems, equipment, and material that are considered to be high-hazard:...

Hurry Up Can Hurt Sports cars competing over race courses marked with racing stripes. People who race on the job are marked with cuts, bruises, and bandages.There are places to race and places not to race. Speed belongs on the race course, not in the workplace. Almost everyone has been guilty of speeding through a job. We forget, until it's too late, that "hurry up can hurt." In just about every instance, hurrying on the job does not do much to increase productivity. Usually, it is simply an easy way to get a job done—get a tough job out of the way—or try...

Give New Co-Workers Your Support! Once the initial orientation to the company is over and the basic requirements of the job and the safety program have been covered, it's time to move the new employee into the work force and introduce the people he or she will be working with. Co-workers play an important role in getting the new person off to a good start. What is a veteran employee's role when it comes to orienting a new employee? Remember that new people are nervous to begin with - just starting a new job. They probably don't remember all the instructions they...

Hazard Recognition I've never met a worker who intentionally injured himself or herself. This should go without saying. Unfortunately, many workers are seriously injured each year and many people still believe that accidents "just happen." But, accidents do not just happen! What Goes Wrong? Usually, an error that is within the control of one or more people is at the bottom of things. Often, several errors take place, at the same time, for an accident to occur. So when we analyze accidents, we should focus on which aspects of a task were controlled and which were not. Assuming that workers have been...

Common Sense And Accident Prevention Generally speaking, we are not born with common sense, we acquire it throughout life. Actually, common sense is really common experience--we learn about life from others' experiences as well as our own. Awareness of your environment, self-preservation and concern for your fellow workers are all factors in good common sense. Contrary to popular opinion, all workers can prevent themselves from getting hurt. The easy way to avoid pain is to observe how others have taken risks and been injured, rather than learning the hard way--from your own injury. That's common sense! The experts say at least 80%...

Accidents Are Avoidable Each time someone is injured, we need to ask ourselves “how did it happen?” Accidents just don’t happen, they are caused. Accidents are usually a result of someone not paying attention or not knowing how to recognize a job (or home or automobile) safety hazard. Jobs with effective safety attitudes have about a fifth as many injuries compared to those without the safety attitude. Today we will discuss some general rules to follow and the four hazard avoidance rules. Guide for Discussion General Rules Learn the safe way to do your job. Don’t jump from one elevation to another. Don’t work under...

Unsafe Acts General Safety -  Most of us know that accidents are caused by only two things - unsafe acts or practices, and unsafe conditions. Some of us even know that 9 out of 10 accidents are the result of unsafe acts, or things we do when we know better. This is kind of strange if you think about it. We have more to fear from our own actions than from any other job hazards around us. Why do we deliberately expose ourselves to injury every day? It Won't Happen To Me Basically, most of us are just thinking about getting the job done...

Safety Away From Work Safety at work is hopefully a matter of routine. Just as important as safety on the job is safety at home. According to one study, you are actually safer at work than at home. For our discussion today, consider driving home and play. Guide for Discussion Driving Don’t speed. Drinking and driving don’t mix. Maintain your vehicle in good mechanical condition. Watch out for other drivers. Allow for proper stopping distances. Be courteous, especially if you’re in a company vehicle. Home Minimize electrical exposures. Eliminate slipping and tripping hazards. Don’t overextend on ladders. Teach your family to identify hazards. Know...

Safety is Common Sense According to safety professionals, four of five serious injuries are the result of workers not being sensible on the job and taking unnecessary chances.  Common sense on the job is irreplaceable. Most of us have worked around people that are accident prone. They aren’t jinxed; they aren’t very common sense smart. Today we want to talk about using common sense to avoid accidents in the workplace. Guide for Discussion Common Sense “Smarts” Always wear the proper personal protective equipment. Don’t over exert yourself – get help with heavy tasks. Don’t over extend yourself when on ladders – and risk...

Why Accidents Occur Every accident is caused by a breakdown in one of four areas: the worker, the tools used, the materials used, or the methods used. Often there is a breakdown in at least two areas; one being the worker and the other coming from one of the three other areas. The accident’s cause usually results from an unsafe act or an unsafe condition. Today we will review some types of unsafe acts, the results from, and unsafe conditions. Guide for Discussion Types of Unsafe Acts: Operating a tool or some equipment without authority. Working at an unsafe speed. Using unsafe or...