2007
|
2009
|
2011
|
2018
|
2021
|
2022
|
2023
Safety Talk 2/14/2011 - (2/14/2011)
What You Can Do to
Prevent Accidents
From Laurie Shadrick, Health and Safety National Coordinator
Have you ever wondered what you can do to prevent accidents? Maybe, like many people, you believe accidents are bound to happen and there’s not much you can do about them. Or, you may think that they only happen to the other person. Well, the truth is that accidents do happen to everyone and often can be prevented. Here’s something to think about. Statistics show that in many cases an accident could have been prevented by the victim, and in other
cases, by a co-worker. Think of accidents that happened to people you know.
Seven Excellent Suggestions
Here are seven ways you, personally, can do something about preventing accidents:
1. Make accident prevention a part of your daily routine: Plan safety in advance. Before beginning a job, be sure your tools are in good condition. Also, see that you have the required personal protective equipment needed.
2. Report unsafe acts or conditions. If you see something that’s dangerous or someone working in an unsafe way, do something about it. If it’s an unsafe condition, correct it if you can Otherwise, report it to someone who
has the authority or ability to do so. If you see someone committing an unsafe act, warn that person in a friendly way.
3. Avoid horseplay: Aren’t you always telling your kids, or heard it yourself, to “knock off fooling around before someone gets hurt?” Well, horse- play’s dangerous at any age. On a construction job you can easily be injured if you’re not strictly business all of the time. Often a person is killed or hurt when a “harmless” prank or a practical joke backfires.
4. Follow instructions: You’d follow instructions if you were dismantling a time bomb—and very carefully at that. Well, take the same attitude on the job. When given instructions, it’s only after all things considered, the safest
and best way to do it. Sometimes doing something just a little different from what you were told can get you or someone else in a lot of trouble.
5. Make suggestions: If you see a quicker or a better way to do something, let someone know. They will check it out and if it’s practical, use it. But first make sure it’s safe. And if you see a safer way of doing something, bring it to a supervisor’s attention, by all means.
6. Practice good housekeeping: It is upsetting to see someone with a messy work area and it goes even further than that. A sloppy work area is not only hard on the eyes, but a breeding ground for accidents. Trash and materials strewn around can result in trips, falls, and fires.
7. Dress for the job: In addition to wearing protective equipment, dress so that you won’t get hurt. Don’t wear floppy clothing (such as loose sleeves or cuffs) or jewelry that can catch on something or become entangled in machinery.
Remember, preventing accidents and having a safe jobsite is up to all of us.
Thanks to Laurie Shadrick and the United Association for posting these safety tips each month.
Show All News Headlines
