Author: CIO

Winter Driving Crash Statistics

One of the main issues winter poses in many parts of the country is poor driving conditions. According to the Department of Transportation, winter weather conditions are responsible for over 192,000 injuries and 2,200 deaths each year on the road. Outside injury and loss of life, winter weather conditions are responsible for millions of dollars in property damage incidents. The hazards created by winter weather make it hard for even the most experienced drivers to operate a vehicle safely.

Slips, Trips, and Falls

Slips, trips, and falls are one of the leading causes of injuries and fatalities in the workplace. According to OSHA, slip, trip, and fall incidents cause 15% of all accidental deaths and are second only to motor vehicles as a cause of fatalities on the job. Snow, sleet, and ice greatly increase the chances for slip, trip, and fall incidents to occur.

Winter Safety Tips

When driving:

• Monitor weather for any incoming snow storms or icy conditions and plan your travel around those conditions. Do not put yourself in a situation where you are stuck on a roadside.
• Do not drive in wintery conditions if possible. Eliminating driving eliminates your chances of being in an accident.
• Be a defensive driver. Stay clear of other drivers and maintain a safe distance in case you need to brake or turn to avoid an accident.
• Slow down. Winter weather conditions necessitate having to reduce your speed. Reducing your speed will give you more time to react as well as help to avoid losing control of your vehicle.

When walking on icy/ snowy surfaces:

• Remove trip hazards before snow or ice conditions are present. This eliminates someone tripping over a buried object after the snow or ice hits.
• Shovel and salt parking lots and walkways prior to work beginning in that area. Prep walkways before workers get on-site in the morning.
• Take your time when walking across slippery surfaces. Taking smaller steps lessens your chances of losing your balance.
• Have the proper footwear on for the weather. Wear shoes with solid tread on the soles.

Safety Signs

If you see a safety sign, the ones on heavy equipment, machine guards, electrical control panels and boxes, and combustible/flammable liquid storage rooms that say: DANGER, WEAR GOGGLES WHILE OPERATING; HIGH VOLTAGE; NO SMOKING; FIRE DOOR, DO NOT BLOCK; what is your reaction?

Most people react in one of two ways. A few get angry and feel like doing the opposite. They don’t like to be told what to do or what not to do. The majority know that safety signs make sense and that there is a reason for each sign being where it is. They take the sign’s message as a visual warning and are glad its there to remind them.

The second reaction is the right one, of course. The NO RIDERS signs on the forklift are not there just to make you walk when you could ride. They are there to remind you that hitching rides on trucks is risky, and someone is going to get hurt.

A NO SMOKING sign is put where it is to keep you from lighting up and prevent you from starting an uncon­trollable fire.

Some people don’t believe a serious fire can start from a cigarette. Consider the fact that the National Safety Council reported that in one year alone, 95,000 fires were started by smoking and matches. These fires caus­ed property damage in the tens of millions of dollars, not to mention the people killed and injured.

The purpose of signs is to visually remind you to stay safe, however, the big problem is that we all get so used to these signs that we don’t notice them any more.

For example, can you remember what pictures are on the walls of your living room? It’s kind of hard to do. You’re so used to those pictures, just like the safety signs here on the job, you don’t notice them anymore. And not seeing safety signs is dangerous business.

If a sign says DO NOT OPERATE WITHOUT GUARDS, that sign means what it says. If you don’t pay atten­tion to the sign because it’s been there a long time, you are leaving yourself wide open to an accident.

Disregarding a safety sign for any reason means you are taking a big chance of getting injured and/or hur­ting someone else. Being responsible for putting a coworker in the hospital should lay heavy on anyone’s’ conscience.

Conclusion:

Remember, each and every safety sign is posted for a good reason, to keep you from getting hurt!

Are you ready for winter work?

Here are some reminders about dressing for the weather and staying strong, healthy and safe:

 

• Two big concerns of working or simply spending time outdoors in cold weather are frostbite and hypothermia. Both can occur at much higher temperatures than many people realize. For example, exposed skin can start to freeze at just 28 degrees Fahrenheit (-2 degrees Celsius) and deep frostbite can cause blood clots and even gangrene. Hypothermia is a potentially fatal condition caused by loss of body temperature, even in winter conditions people might not consider particularly nasty. Symptoms include fatigue, nausea, confusion, lightheadedness and profuse sweating. Without medical treatment the victim can lose consciousness and die. Between 1979 and 1995, an average of 723 Americans died each year as the result of hypothermia.
• Wear the right gloves for the work you are doing. Gloves should have enough insulation to keep you warm and prevent frostbite, but be thin enough so you can feel what you are doing if you are manipulating controls or tools. Gloves which are too thick can also make your hands and wrists work too hard trying to hold on to objects, causing repetitive strain injury.
• Dress in layers of light-weight clothing which keep you warmer than a single layer of heavy clothes. Remove layers as necessary to prevent overheating and perspiring which can lead to chills or hypothermia later. Remember that wet clothing is 20 times less warm than dry clothing. Wear a hat and you’ll stay much warmer when working in cold conditions. As much as half your body heat can go up in steam off the top of a bare head. Protect your ears from frostbite as well by wearing a hat that will cover your ears, or use ear muffs.
• While donning a scarf or muffler might help keep your neck warm in the cold weather, it could also kill you if you work near rotating machinery. Check your winter wardrobe for entanglement hazards such as loose sleeves and dangling drawstrings.
• Keep your safety eyewear from fogging up in the cold. Investigate anti-fog coatings and wipes to see if these products are appropriate for your eyewear. If you have to keep taking off your safety eyewear because it fogs up, it isn’t protecting you.
• Look at the soles of your winter footwear. Your shoes or boots should have adequate tread to prevent slips and falls on wet or icy surfaces. For extremely slippery situations, you can attach clogs or cleats to your footwear. Slow down when walking across slippery surfaces and be especially careful on ladders, platforms and stairways.
• Eat winter-weight meals. This does not mean a high fat diet, but one with enough calories and nutrients to give you the fuel you need. Start with a breakfast of whole grain cereal and toast.
• Get plenty of rest. Working in the cold and even traveling to and from work in the winter takes lots of energy. Cold weather can strain your heart, even if you aren’t overexerting yourself, so be sure to pace yourself when lifting heavy objects or shoveling snow.

(Walt’s tip: If you have polypropylene thermal underwear, you will be warmer than cotton thermals. Synthetics wick moisture away from your body, so try to put synthetics on as your 1st layer in cold weather.  If you want you hands and feet warm, include polypropylene sock liners & glove liners also.)

Carry extra socks and a change of gloves. Wear wool socks that whisk away moisture.

Got Water?

In summer weather and other hot, humid working conditions, drinking enough water is vital to preventing heat illness. But in the winter months, is it still important?

Don’t drink a large quantity of water at once, just keep on sipping. Drinking enough water helps keep the body’s digestive and elimination systems working properly.  But what is enough water?  Eight glasses (eight fluid ounces or about 1/4 of a quart each) is probably as good a starting point as any.  Drinking other beverages and eating waterlogged produce such as lettuce also supplies some of your water requirements.  Then adjust your water intake for what seems right for you.

Clear urine, a regular digestive system and supple skin are signs of adequate fluid intake. A headache can be a sign of dehydration, so try drinking more water.

Now, about that old water bottle.  If it’s just an old soft-drink container, replace it with one intended for repeated use.  Maybe you should get two so one can go in the dishwasher every so often.  Try not to handle the bottle, particularly the top, unless your hands are clean.

Plenty of clean water to drink is a privilege enjoyed by workers in this country, with few exceptions.  So enjoy drinking your fill for good health.

Questions:

1. How many glasses of water should you drink every day?
2. What is a sign of dehydration?

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Seven Common Incident Causes

Lifting Objects Properly

Can you think of even one job or occupation where you never have to lift an object? I can’t. Lifting of objects can range from very light objects such as a piece of paper, a pin or a pen to very heavy objects like loads of boxes. Lifting is very much a part of our every day jobs. And, because it is something we do so often, we tend to do it without thinking, or at least we do until we strain a muscle, or worse, hurt our backs.

Safe lifting plays an important role in keeping your back healthy. Although there doesn’t seem to be just one right method to lift an object, there are lifting techniques that take strain off the low back area.

These techniques have several steps in common. They recommend you “size up the load”. That is, look it over. Decide if you can handle it alone or if you need help. When in doubt, ask for help. Moving a box or other object that is too heavy for one person is not worth strained and sore back muscles.

You should also “size up the area”. Look over the area where you are carrying the object to, and make sure it is clear of obstacles before beginning to carry the object.

For that period of time spent lifting, the load becomes a part of your body. You support and propel the object while it is attached to you. This attachment should be firm and sure. Get a good grip.

Attaching yourself to a load will change your balance. To keep this change of balance to a minimum, keep the load close to your body, to your normal center of gravity between the legs, between the shoulders.

Good foot position allows you to keep your balance and bring into play the full power of your leg muscles. Leg muscles are more powerful and more durable than back muscles. Let your leg muscles do the work. Again, footwork is important once you avoid twisting your upper body. Use your feet to change direction. Don’t twist your body. Twisting compounds the stress of the lift and affects your balance.

Tips for lifting:

• Stay in shape
• Size up the load; ask for help, if needed
• Get a good grip
• Keep the load close
• Keep your balance with footwork
• Let your leg muscles do the work
• Don’t twist your body

Conclusion:

Safe lifting plays an important role in keeping your back and your body healthy.

Questions:

1. What’s the first step when you go to lift something?
2. Strong & Fit people don’t get back injuries.  True or False?

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Blood-borne Pathogens are infectious micro organisms in human blood that can cause diseases including hepatitis and HIV.  But it’s not only blood that can transmit these dangerous contagions – bodily fluids of all types, including saliva, can result in transmission of illness.

Injuries happen at every workplace, and when they happen, it’s very important to know how to handle them in order to minimize the danger of transmitting or contracting disease.

The types of Blood-borne Pathogens, (BBP), are not as important as understanding what PPE to use to avoid exposure and contamination.  In the case of any injury with blood, wear protective surgical/latex gloves to prevent contamination, and those very same gloves prevent extra dirt and grit getting into the wound being treated.

Blood is considered a Biohazard

A biohazard is defined as any infectious agent or hazardous biological material that prevents a risk to the health of humans, animals or the environment.  The risk can be direct (through infection), or indirect (through damage to the environment).

Biohazards include vomit, saliva, and dead animals.  Also, just about anything that gets flushed is a biohazard when not in the toliet.

Anything exposed to biohazards needs to be disposed of properly and carefully:

• Use paper towels and wear gloves to mop up blood spills.  Place the used towels in a plastic bag and tie it off before proper disposal.
• When you take your latex gloves off, first remove one glove and roll it into a ball in the palm of the second glove.  As you remove the second glove, turn it inside-out with the first glove inside.  This keeps you from exposing your skin to the materials your were using the gloves to keep off your skin and helps eliminate any contamination of BBP on your skin.

In summary, anything that comes OUT of a human body is a biohazard.

Simple Precautions to Follow:

1. Avoid contact with blood and any body fluids.
2. Use PPE such as disposable gloves, protective eyewear, and breathing barriers.
3. Avoiding touching your eyes, mouth and nose when working around blood, vomit, et cetera.
4. Wash your hands thoroughly after any potential exposure – especially before eating & drinking.

Questions:

1. What PPE do you need when working with blood?
2. Name two diseases that can be transmitted in bodily fluids?

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Aerial Lift Safety

Your job with XPAT will require you at times to operate an aerial lift or man lift . Today we’re going to review some safety tips for working in and around this type of equipment.

• As with other powered vehicles, inspect the lift prior to utilizing it. Walk around and ensure there are no leaks, check to ensure all the controls are functioning correctly.
• Never walk under the boom to gain access to the platform.
• Only utilize the lift on level ground.
• Only stand on the platform floor. Never stand or sit on the railing.
• Always look in the direction the machine is moving.
• Do not rest the boom or basket on a steel structure of any kind.
• Always wear safety harnesses and tie-off to the manufacture provided anchorage point within the platform at all times when you’re in the basket. This includes when you are lowered and moving the equipment to another location.
• Keep your hands inside the external portion of the basket when raising or lowering the basket.
• Ensure that a fire extinguisher is mounted in the basket when performing activities that present a fire hazard such as welding or grinding. Ensure you have a fire watch person below.
• Except in a case of an emergency, ground controls shall not be operated on an occupied lift (lift occupant shall be in full control of the lift at all times).

Conclusion:

Follow these simple rules above and you will be safe operating an aerial lift or man lift.

Questions:

1. What should you do every time before operating an aerial lift?
2. Railings and guardrails are approved anchorage points?  True or False.

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Odds of a Catastrophe

It’s Not My Fault!

How many times have you heard a child (of any age) exclaim “it’s not my fault!” or “it wasn’t me!”?

Whether or not these statements are true is beside the point, what we are talking about is how we conduct ourselves and what image we project to those around us.

A responsible, conscientious person will say “it’s not my fault, but it is my problem”.

These individuals identify themselves by their actions; they pickup that piece of garbage on the ground, they’re quick to lend a co-worker a hand or show them a better, safer way. They step up and take the high road any chance they get.

Why? Because to these people, they see an opportunity every time a situation presents itself. An opportunity to eliminate a trip hazard, an opportunity to lighten the load for a co-worker or to help them keep out of harms way.

They may not be a supervisor or a lead hand, but they lead by example, they answer to themselves.

When you hear “Ah…somebody’s bound to get that”, they are that somebody, for them there’s always something to do, always an opportunity.

When you get enough of these people working together (there’s never enough, always looking for new members) you get a company of people that do the right things, follow safe work procedures, help and look out for each other and co-workers throughout the site.

They project an image of accountability and carry a reputation for getting things done and asking “what else can we help you with”.

If this sounds familiar, keep up the good work! If this sounds like an opportunity, Welcome aboard!

We’re always looking for new members!

Questions:

1. What type of person do you see yourself as?
2. It is your responsibility to look out for your co-workers.  True or False?

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