A little common sense can go a long way when it comes to safety issues that are common to many work sites. Thinking ahead and preparation can help to reduce safety hazards. Keep the following recommendations in mind when you take a look at your worksite.
- Always practice good housekeeping- Stack materials properly. Keep tools, cords, and equipment out of walkways and stored properly when not in use. Put into effect a clean-up program to remove trash, scraps, parts, and materials from platforms and walkways. Having a clean workplace helps to prevent personal injuries and fire hazards.
- Inspect and provide appropriate fire extinguishers– Fire extinguishers must be appropriate for the work site (know the correct extinguisher for each class of fire). They should be mounted properly, and easily accessible. They must be regularly inspected and tagged to show when and who performed tests.
- Make available proper personal protective equipment (PPE)- Make sure that workers are wearing the right personal protective equipment for the hazards on the job. Analyze all the operations of your work place to determine what type(s) of PPE is needed.
- Develop a thorough lockout/blockout program- All workers should be trained in and understand the importance of locking and blocking machinery and equipment, even for those “quick and easy” jobs or repairs. Machines can be inadvertently turned on while being maintained, repaired, or adjusted causing electrocution, crushing injuries and loss of limbs.
- Guard power tools and moving machine parts- Keep all power tools properly shielded or guarded. They should never be operated with the guards off.
- Ground electric power tools and equipment- Safeguard workers from shock or electrocution by using tools with three-prong plugs, double insulation or ground-fault systems. Check electrical equipment for frayed wires or damaged plugs often.
- The importance of safety meetings- The company can convey their commitment to safety and impress upon workers the need to take every precaution to keep the work place safe. If workers are trained to understand the correct and safest way to perform their job, they’ll be able to do it safely and with common sense. Safety meetings are one of the most important factors contributing to a safe work environment and are required every ten working days.
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