Safety Meeting

Given By_____________________
EYE PROTECTION

Topic #18

Date_________________

Let's take a short elementary test. Can you tell me how many basic senses there are and can you name them? Taste, smell, hearing, touch and sight. Of the five, which is the one that we depend upon the most? You guessed it -- it's sight. Everything we do involves the use of our eyes and God only gave us two. How many times have you said or heard -- "He should have worn his safety glasses." -- or -- "If I had been wearing my safety glasses I wouldn't have injured my eye." -- Too many times! Eye protection begins with the ability to recognize those times that eye protection is needed, and then, to seriously commit to wear the protection whenever necessary. Anytime you're working where there is the potential for flying particles eye protection is required. When using a saw, drill, pouring concrete, chipping, blasting or handling chemicals just to name a few. Dirt, dust, rust, rock, bits of concrete, etc. are all potential dangers in construction work. Should a member of your crew get something in their eye seek proper medical attention right away. The longer it stays in the worse it gets. No one but a professional should attempt to remove a foreign body from the eye. Cover the eye lightly with a clean pad and either wait for medical help to arrive or take the employee to a doctor. Don't forget that eye protection is also needed when using chemicals. Make sure you're using chemical goggles and a splash shield. You may need to flush the eyes should they come in contact with the chemical. Emergency first aid procedures are discussed in the Material Safety a Sheet for the particular chemical. Let's wrap up what we've learned. Eyesight is precious -- and -- irreplaceable. Don't take chances with your vision -- wear eye protection! WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES AT HOME, TOO, WHEN USING POWER TOOLS, PAINTING, CHOPPING WOOD, ETC.

Prepared by: Justin Robinson

Toolboxtopics.com

Safety Meeting
Given By_____________________
FALL PROTECTION

Topic #22

Date_________________

OSHA has released a final rule covering FALL PROTECTION in the construction industry. Does this new standard cover you as a construction worker? You bet it does! It is called Subpart M and the effective date was February 6, 1995. The procedures specified in this new standard are intended to prevent employees from failing off, onto, or through working levels, and to protect them from falling objects. The new standard stresses three types of protection to be used for fall protection. They are GUARDRAIL SYSTEMS, SAFETY NET SYSTEMS, AND PERSONAL FALL ARREST SYSTEMS. It's up to your employer to determine which method is going to be used when an employee is on a walking or working surface, horizontal or vertical, with an unprotected side or edge which is 6 feet or more above a lower level. This includes floors, roofs, ramps, bridges, runways, etc., but not ladders, vehicles, or trailers, on which employees must be located in order to perform their job. Leading edges, residential construction and precast concrete erection may be exceptions to the rule. In these cases the employer must have a qualified person develop a written fall protection plan for the specific area in which this type of work is being performed. The plan must be maintained and kept up to date. As a construction worker you also need to know that the subpart does NOT apply when employees are making an inspection, investigation, or assessment of workplace conditions prior to the actual start of construction work, or after all construction has been completed. In addition, Subpart M specifies that as of January 1, 1998, body belts are not be acceptable as part of a personal fall arrest system, (Note: the use of a body belt in a positioning device system will be acceptable.) The use of a non-locking snaphook as a part of personal fall arrest systems and positioning device systems will be prohibited. What this means to you is that non-locking snaphooks and body belts are a thing of the past in the construction industry. Workers will be using full body harnesses with locking snaphooks for fall arrest systems. . THE NEW STANDARD REQUIRES EMPLOYERS TO TRAIN EMPLOYEES, RETRAIN THEM WHEN EQUIPMENT OR SITE CHANGES OCCUR, AND CERTIFY AND DATE THE TRAINING.

Prepared by: Justin Robinson

Toolboxtopics.com

Safety Meeting
Given By_____________________
FIRST AID FOR BURNS

Topic #28

Date_________________

Just the thought of being a burn victim is most unpleasant - but - as a construction worker you know that there are many opportunities for burn injuries to occur every day. Your job can bring you into contact with hot surfaces, flammable liquids, gasoline motors, torches, welding equipment, portable heaters, chemicals, electricity, and the sun and wind, all of which can cause burns. All burns are painful and the danger of infection must be addressed. Most burns require professional medical attention. First Degree Bums - affect the outer layer of skin such as sunburn or contact with a hot objects. The skin will be red and sore. First aid treatment: apply cold water to the burned area or submerge the area in cold water. Apply a sterile dressing. Second Degree Bums - affect the entire outer layer of skin and may penetrate deeper. The skin usually blisters. These burns are caused by a bad sunburn, contact with hot liquids, or burns from gasoline for example. First aid treatment: apply cold water as you would for a first degree burn, or use a cold pack, or cover the burn with a cold, wet dressing. Don't break blisters or use ointments, antiseptics, etc. Seek professional medical help. Third Degree Burns - penetrate both layers of skin and are very serious! Contact with flames, burning clothing, or electricity can cause third degree burns. First aid treatment: if clothing is on fire, drop and roll the victim to extinguish the flames, cover burn area with a sterile dressing, never use cold water, ointments, antiseptics, etc. Get medical help at once! Here are a few tips to prevent burn accidents: Keep sparks and open flames away from combustible and flammable materials. Practice good housekeeping - dispose of scrap materials promptly and properly. Always keep chemicals in their original containers with labels, and use chemicals safely, check the MSDS and use caution when pouring hot liquids - even that morning cup of coffee. Observe all electrical codes - lock-out/tag-out energy sources before working on machinery or equipment. Cover live electrical panels and post warning signs. Wear the right personal protective equipment for the job. Burns occur off the job, too. Keep children away from matches, portable heaters, ranges and fireplaces. Store flammables and combustibles properly.

Prepared by: Justin Robinson

Toolboxtopics.com

Safety Meeting
Given By_____________________

Topic #87

Date_________________

SPRAINS AND STRAINS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

The days of macho behavior and contests to see who can do the most work or lift the heaviest load are hopefully gone! Companies that allow behavior like this to exist find themselves out of business because accidents and injuries-and worker's compensation insurance costs-skyrocket. The answer is in planning: In the dynamic construction industry, controlling exposures to sprains and strains is difficult at best. With this in mind, anyone who spends a good part of their work day moving materials should learn to work smarter, rather than harder! Manual material handling is common to many industries, especially construction. Many tasks that require handling sheet goods, such as plywood siding or sheet rock, require two people for installation. Experience working together as a team is the best way to assure you know what your partner is doing. When starting with a new partner, take time to discuss how you intend to lift, carry and secure your work. A single wrong move with a heavy sheet can transfer the full load to one of the workers, force an awkward position, and cause a sprain or strain. When working from scaffolding, take time to plan your moves. How will you get the material in place? Will you have to move it around the scaffolding manually? Do you need mechanical help such as a fork lift or a boom truck? Can you place material in several locations to minimize the need to lift and carry? All of these situations should be considered before starting a task. When loading or unloading materials or tools, avoid bending, twisting or carrying long distances. If it's possible, avoid placing materials at heights below knee level or above shoulder level. Never twist with a load!! This is one of the worst things that you can do to your back. If you combine bending and twisting, you are certain to injure yourself. Always allow space for at least two steps between a truck being off loaded and the final stacking site, which helps avoid twisting. Place a couple of pallets under a pallet you are stacking, which avoids bending below knee height. Shoveling: When using a shovel, alternate having your left hand and right hand forward. It may feel awkward at first, but allows muscles on both sides of your body to share the work. Keep in mind that muscles and posture control the shape of your spine. The shape of your spine controls wear and tear on your spinal disks, muscles and ligaments. Repetitive motion: Tasks that require repetitive hand or wrist motion should be examined closely. Steady use of a screw driver means constant twisting of the wrist. Battery operated screw guns are a good answer for this. Driving nails all day can cause pain in both your elbow and wrist. Wooden handles tend to transmit less vibration than steel and fiberglass hammer handles. Consider wearing a tennis elbow support, to limit the effect of vibration on tendons that attach to the elbow. When using vibrating tools, special gloves that "dampen" vibration can also be worn. Problem-solve and plan with others: The first step to avoiding discomfort, pain or injury is to discuss awkward work tasks with your supervisor. Also, share your concerns and possible remedies with co-workers at safety meetings. Remember, the best way to earn a living is to stay healthy. Your employer-and most of all, your family-are depending on YOU!

Prepared by: Justin Robinson

Toolboxtopics.com