October 2020 – BLM Construction & Remodeling, LLC

Toolbox Talk: Close Calls – Take a Close Look at Close Calls

Toolbox Talk: Close Calls - Take a Close Look at Close Calls

November 3, 2020

A “close call” or accident without injury is easy to shrug off and forget. But, there is a danger in brushing off accidents that don’t hurt, harm or damage. When a “close call” happens, it should immediately send up a red warning flag that something was wrong, unplanned, unexpected, and could happen again. The next time it happens, it could result in serious damage, injury or death.

For every accident there are usually several contributing factors, most of which can be controlled. The best way to prevent the reoccurrence of an accident is by looking at those “close calls.” By investigating the root causes of an accident, steps can be taken to eliminate the hazard and improve the work system.

Sometimes there are multiple causes for an accident involving: equipment (unguarded machinery), environment (poor lighting or noise level), people (procedures not understood or not followed) or management (allowed shortcuts). Don’t rush to judge. Examine the facts and find what’s missing. Look for immediate and underlying causes. An immediate cause may be an unsafe condition like a mechanical failure or it could be an unsafe action by an employee. The underlying cause could be poor machine maintenance, a missing guard, a crowded work area or a lack of training.

All incidents should be reported to the supervisor so that accident/injury report forms can be completed. Once an investigation is completed, solutions should be sought to prevent the accident from occurring again. Solutions may involve engineering controls, administrative controls, additional training, or increased communication between management and workers.

Workers should daily inspect the work area for unsafe conditions or unsafe actions and, if found, report them to the supervisor. Hazard awareness is key to preventing accidents before they happen. Take steps to eliminate hazards as soon as they are discovered. Learn the real lesson from close calls. They can happen again and again until they cause injury, so tell your supervisor about every accident, no matter how minor it may seem at the time. You never know when an incident may be repeated and result in an injury or even death.

Source: https://www.statefundca.com/Home/StaticIndex?id=https://content.statefundca.com//safety/safetymeeting/SafetyMeetingArticle.aspx?ArticleID=8

Toolbox Talk: Aerial Platform Safety

October 26, 2020

Jobsites are not always at ground level. Sometimes, workers need to use aerial platforms, aerial ladders, articulating boom platforms, vertical towers, or ladder trucks to reach their work. All work has hazards and risks involved in it, but when you work at an elevated height, extra training and attention to safety procedures is a necessity.

In order to work safely with aerial platforms, get training on the operating procedures for your job site and task. Get specialized training on each aerial lift model you will use. Know the risks and hazards involved with aerial work, including your own risk of falling and the hazard of dropping objects on to coworkers below. Learn to tether your tools and equipment and ensure that coworkers underneath the platform are wearing hard hats.

Formal inspections and maintenance of aerial platforms should be scheduled based on the environment and how often the machine is used. Before performing maintenance on an aerial platform, lower it to the full down position. Switch all of the controls to the off position. Apply the brakes and/or use chock blocks. Lock out the power and bleed the hydraulic lines. Never modify or alter your aerial platform without written permission from the manufacturer because changes could alter the structure and stability. Never operate the aerial platform from a scaffold, trailer, or boat without written permission from the manufacturer.

In addition to regular inspections and maintenance, inspect the platform each time before you use it. Look for proper function of the controls. Make sure that the emergency lowering mechanism works. Watch for wear and tear. Check for proper fluid levels and no leaks. Never use equipment if it is not working properly. Tag it out of service until it can be repaired.

When you are planning your work, first ensure that the platform is appropriate to the task. Make sure that loads are within the capacity limit and are stowed properly for stability. Always use the outriggers and stabilizers required for the aerial platform and check for uneven surfaces and debris in the work area. Look for overhead obstructions and electrical lines. Avoid using aerial platforms outside in bad weather and high winds. Don’t use an aerial platform if it has to be stabilized against another building or object. Never use your aerial platform as a crane.

Before working on an aerial platform, put on the appropriate fall protection gear. Consider a fall limiter so that you do not fall too far off of the platform. Make sure that guardrails are installed and access gates are closed before you raise the platform. Keep both feet on the platform at all times and do not reach too far out. Do not use lumber or ladders to get additional height on the platform. Do not step on guardrails or gate rungs and do not climb out of the platform for any reason. If you will travel with the aerial platform, go slowly in order to watch for overhead hazards and people down below.

Source: https://www.statefundca.com/Home/StaticIndex?id=https://content.statefundca.com//safety/safetymeeting/SafetyMeetingArticle.aspx?ArticleID=432

Toolbox Talk: Foot Safety

October 19, 2020

The foot is something that doesn’t get much attention unless there is a problem. Therefore, to avoid possible injury, it’s important to think about safeguarding the foot before undertaking any job.

Workers may be exposed to various hazardous conditions on the job, including slippery surfaces, climbing hazards, handling or working around heavy equipment and machinery and working around electricity. These different working conditions may require different safety footwear to protect the foot, and the worker, from injury.

When choosing safety footwear, you must select the legally approved shoe or boot required for the job activity, equipment, and situation. Some situations may require metal-toed boots to protect the top part of the foot. These steel-toed shoes provide extra protection over the top of the foot and can make a difference in preventing an injury in an accident.

Safety shoes or boots with impact protection should be worn when workers carry or handle materials such as heavy packages, objects, parts or tools and for other activities where objects may fall onto the foot. Workers should be required to wear safety shoes or boots with impact protection when their work involves wheeling carts that carry heavy materials; handling heavy, bulky tools (paper, fabric, carpet, lumber etc.); working around heavy pipes or in situations where a heavy object may roll over a workers foot.

Safety shoes or boots with puncture protection should be required where a worker could step on sharp objects such as nails, wires, tacks, screws, large staples, scrap metal, etc. And special types of insulating shoes or conductive shoes may be necessary for certain types of electrical work.

Employers should instruct their workers in the correct safety footwear necessary for the work they will be required to perform or situation they may encounter on the job. They should also understand the importance of wearing the protective footwear. Safety awareness and healthy workers comes from a total safety program that includes ongoing education and training in personal protective equipment on the job.

Source: https://www.statefundca.com/Home/StaticIndex?id=https://content.statefundca.com//safety/safetymeeting/SafetyMeetingArticle.aspx?ArticleID=51

Toolbox Talk: Housekeeping

October 9, 2020

Companies that hold general housekeeping of work areas to a high standard usually have a better safety culture than those companies who do not. Housekeeping is an important part of a robust safety program. Poor housekeeping promotes inefficiency as well as leads to injuries and property loss.

Poor housekeeping leads to:

Slip, trip, and fall injuries
Property damage incidents involving moving equipment or vehicles
Caught in/between injuries
Sprains/ strains due to unnecessary movements of objects that are in the way

Ways to Improve General Housekeeping in Your Work Area

Create lay down yards for equipment and tools when out in the field. At the end of the task, return tools and equipment to their proper locations such as a workshop or toolbox.
Designate walking areas or paths for employees in work area and keep equipment and objects out of that path.
Designate parking areas within specific work areas to avoid clutter and vehicles or equipment striking objects around them.
Barricade or place orange fencing around objects or areas where equipment, vehicles, or people should not be. This also helps control points of access into work areas.
Keep tools and equipment clean. Heavy equipment should not have loose cargo such as trash in the cab. These items can be a distraction or interfere with the controls.

Summary:

Paying attention to the small details translates to bigger changes in the safety culture in the field. Not only does good housekeeping help to lower property loss incidents as well as injuries, but it also shows the maturity of a safety culture within a company. Many of us work for a larger contractor or client in the construction industry and when your work areas are always clean and tidy it shows responsibility of your company to address the small issues onsite. Overlooking simple issues such as housekeeping can lead to big problems with injuries and property loss.

Discussion point:

-How can we improve the housekeeping in our work areas?

Source: 106 Toolbox Talks, Innovative Safety Products, LLC

Toolbox Talk: Heavy Equipment

October 2, 2020

Heavy Equipment

Heavy equipment such as cranes, maintainers, bull dozers, front loaders, dump trucks, excavators, etc. are used on virtually every single construction site. There are many hazards created by the use of this equipment for those who operate it and especially for those who work around the equipment. It is easy to become complacent when working around these machines every single work day. The Center for Construction Research and Training states that heavy and mobile equipment were responsible for 7,681 construction worker deaths between 1992 and 2010. It is important to continually remind yourself of the hazards of working around heavy equipment.

Hazards Created by Heavy Equipment

There are many different hazards associated with heavy equipment. It is impossible to list every single hazard and scenario down here during this safety talk. Instead we will discuss the two major hazards associated with these work tasks that are responsible for the majority of injuries and fatalities.

Struck-by incidents– One of the biggest exposures for a fatality on a construction site is ground personnel being struck by moving equipment. OSHA states approximately 75% of struck-by fatalities involve heavy equipment such as trucks or cranes. It is everyone’s responsibility to look out for one another while working around this equipment. Work areas where heavy equipment is should be clearly marked and barricaded. Unnecessary foot traffic should be eliminated in these barricaded work areas. Ground personnel entering a work area where there is equipment operating need to make their presence known to all operators in the area. Operators should avoid backing whenever possible and need to stop their work task if they lose sight of any ground personnel. A spotter should be used if equipment is operating in a tight area or when operating around ground personnel. In certain situations it could more hazardous to use a spotter. Plan work tasks accordingly and eliminate the need for a spotter if possible.

Caught-in or between incidents– These incidents are very similar to struck-by incidents, however there are differences. A struck-by incident is when an object striking a person causes the injury. A caught-in or between incident is when there is an injury due to crushing between two objects. An excavator bucket swinging around and striking a person in an open field would be a struck-by incident. An excavator counter weight that turns and pins a person against a wall would be a caught-in or between incident. Many of the same safeguards discussed above will protect workers from being involved in a caught-in or between incident. One important safeguard in protecting yourself from these incidents is to stay out of the line of fire and always leave yourself an “out”. You should first always consider the safest place to be around equipment with regards to the line of fire. Never put yourself in a situation where you do not eBook Sponsored by: https://mightylinetape.com/ Page 74 have an out to escape danger. It is important to always be able to get out of the way if other safeguards fail and you are put in a situation where you can become of victim of these incidents.

Discussion points:

-What are some of the most effective way to avoid incidents from the two hazards?

-Are there unnecessary risks we are taking onsite with regard to heavy or mobile equipment?

Source: 106 Toolbox Talks, Innovative Safety Products, LLC