September 2023 – WEEK 1: Cell Phone Distraction It is estimated at the end of 2015 there were 5 billion cell phone users worldwide. Can you hear me now? The catchphrase used by Verizon, has become part of our culture. Cell phone use has expanded into every activity in our lives, from emergency communication to picking products from a grocery shelf. It sometimes seems people have no idea what to do with a spare moment other than make a cell phone call. Whether you are in the presence of a user or you use a cell phone personally, using the phone is a significant distraction. Being distracted while driving, while operating tools and equipment, when walking across the street, when in public or at work, increases the risk of injuries and crashes. Researchers have compared the level of distraction to a blood alcohol level of 0.08. Research also has shown that a cell phone conversation while driving is a greater distraction than conversing with a passenger. Drivers reacted significantly slower to unexpected events in the first two minutes of the phone conversation and are, for a large part of the conversation, unaware of traffic movements around them. Many states have banned the use of cell phones without a hands-free device. Although that may help a little, the distraction is still present. Your best bet is to pull over to the side of the road or pull into a parking lot if you must have the conversation. Additionally, never utilize your cell phone out on our production floor. Go to an office, outside or the cafeteria to make the call. I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE TOOLBOX TALKS FOR THIS MONTH AND CONFIRM THAT “SAFETY IS PRIORITY NUMBER 1!”
September 2023 – WEEK 2: Complacency/Carelessness Webster’s Dictionary defines complacency as:
self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies Complacency is perhaps one of the biggest problems we face in completing our day to day tasks. We are “used” to things being a certain way each time and unless the obvious comes right out and hits us . . . we can be oblivious to it all. This is state of mind can affect many things such as productivity, quality and safety. Here is an example:
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. You probably didn’t have much trouble reading that paragraph. It probably took you back at first, but then you were able to zip right through the text and understand the content. This is an example of how complacency works with our mind. We get used to words starting with certain letters and being a certain length and we skip right over it “thinking” we know what the word is. In reading paragraphs it’s not a big deal . . . however when it comes to safety, complacency can be a literal “killer” on the job. There is much danger in going into “autopilot” when working on the job. All too often we don’t realize how complacent we are until we have a near miss or close call. I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE TOOLBOX TALKS FOR THIS MONTH AND CONFIRM THAT “SAFETY IS PRIORITY NUMBER 1!”
September 2023 – WEEK 3: Death By Cell Phone Cell phones can be a great convenience and a great tool . . . however their use at inappropriate times and inappropriate places can certainly be risky. In British Columbia Canada a new road was being preloaded with sand and gravel. An engineer walked across a dump truck staging area next to the road while talking on his cell phone. A spotter was using hand signals to direct a loaded dump truck backwards along the staging area. The truck driver was maintaining visual contact with the spotter in his side-view mirror. The dump truck’s backup alarm was working normally. Two or three similar backup alarms were also sounding from other nearby mobile equipment. The spotter turned away from the dump truck for about 10 seconds to check for other vehicles. He continued to motion the dump truck to reverse, without maintaining visual contact with it. During this 10-second interval, the engineer stepped onto the staging area between the spotter and the reversing dump truck. Still talking on the cell phone, he stopped directly behind the reversing vehicle with his back to it. The driver could not see the engineer and continued to reverse as directed by the spotter. The spotter did not see the engineer. The engineer was unaware that the dump truck was approaching. One of the dump truck’s rear tires snagged the back of the engineer’s leg, pulling him under the truck. He died from his injuries. This is one of the reasons we don’t allow cell phone use out in the production areas when working on the equipment. It only takes a second or two for distractions to take a fatal turn. The National Safety Council has gotten behind a complete ban on all cell phone use while driving. Cleveland, Ohio recently banned texting while driving with fines up to $500 for third-time offenders. I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE TOOLBOX TALKS FOR THIS MONTH AND CONFIRM THAT “SAFETY IS PRIORITY NUMBER 1!”
September 2023 – WEEK 4: Don’t Let Your Luck Run Out Safety does not come naturally–it requires you to constantly ask questions and educate yourself. Your attitude and your behavior will ultimately determine how safe you are.
- Become involved with your safety team.
- Help with safety training and safety meetings.
- Suggest safer work practices and procedures.
- Know your role in an emergency.
- Take responsibility for housekeeping.
- Read the labels on chemical containers.
- Think about your back.
- Wear your PPE.
I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE TOOLBOX TALKS FOR THIS MONTH AND CONFIRM THAT “SAFETY IS PRIORITY NUMBER 1!”