August 2024 – WEEK 1 LIFTING
Do you realize you may be risking serious injury many times a day and not even know it? Well, it’s true if you don’t lift correctly. Improper lifting may cause back injuries that can take months and even years to heal. Sometimes they are permanent and disabling. A little know how, however, can enable you to lift correctly.
PREPARING TO LIFT
Give the load the once-over. If it looks too heavy, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Be sure you’re wearing safety shoes. There is always the chance of dropping something on your toes. If the object has rough or sharp edges, wear a good, tough pair of work gloves. They’ll give you a good grip and protect your hands.
MAKING THE LIFT
Crouch down with the load between your legs and get a good grip on the object. As you rise, lift with your legs, keeping your back vertical and the load as close to your body as possible. If you have to place the load to your left or to your right, don’t twist your body. Move your feet instead. When you have to lower a load, simply reverse the knees bent, back vertical procedure.
LET’S REVIEW
Let’s quickly review what we said about lifting:
1. Don’t lift more than you can handle. Ask for help with heavy loads.
2. Wear safety shoes.
3. If the object is rough or sharp, wear gloves.
4. Lift with your legs and not your back.
5. Keep the load close to your body.
6. Don’t twist your body when placing a load to one side or the other. Move your feet instead.
August 2024 – WEEK 2 Who Is Responsible For Safety?
Safety is everyone’s responsibility! As an employee, you should:
- Learn to work safely and take all rules seriously and recognize hazards and avoid them.
- Report all accidents, injuries and illness to your supervisor immediately.
- Inspect tools before use to avoid injury.
- Wear all assigned personal protective equipment.
On the other hand, it is management’s responsibility to:
- Provide a safe and healthy workplace and provide personal protective equipment.
- Train employees in safe procedures and in how to identify hazards.
Everyone must be aware of potential hazards on the job:
- Poor housekeeping results in slips, trips and falls.
- Poor material handling may cause back problems or other injuries.
- Tools and equipment can cause injuries if guards or protective devices are disengaged.
Always use the protections that are provided on the job:
- Machine Guards keep body parts from contacting moving equipment.
- Personal protective equipment shields your body from hazards on the job.
Safety benefits everyone. With fewer injuries, a business can be more productive and profitable. By incorporating safety rules, employees avoid injury as well as illness from exposure to hazardous substances.
August 2024 Week 3 Driving
Vehicle crashes are a leading cause of fatalities on and off the jobsite. It is important to always drive safely when you are operating a moving vehicle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that in the US there were approximately 6.45 million car accidents that occurred, with police reports in 2017.
Safe Driving Tips
The impact that a car accident can have on your family financially and emotionally is tremendous. When an employee is involved in a wreck on or off the job, it affects the business as well. Everyone should make it a habit to make safe driving choices anytime behind the wheel of a car. Here are some safe driving tips to follow:
1. Stay Focused
When you are driving, your only focus should be on the road ahead of you. No other devices, people, or things should be capturing your attention. Things such as cell phones, make-up, or even eating should not be done while the car is moving. Distracted driving is one of the main causes of accidents.
2. Vehicle Housekeeping
A dirty car is a hazard to you in many ways. If your windows and mirrors are dirty, it can obstruct your view from the road. Lots of items such as trash, water bottles, books, or other things in your car can cause harm to you if you were to be in an accident. It is best to always try and have only what you need in your car while driving. A tidy vehicle is a safe vehicle—that’s why frequent housekeeping is so important.
3. Be a Defensive Driver
A defensive driver is a good driver. When you are driving, you should always know what you would do or where you would go if something goes wrong. Having a plan is part of what can help you in those split seconds you have to react. Having a plan of how you are going to react can be what saves your life.
4. Wear a Seat Belt
There are seat belts in a car for a reason and they should be used at all times when the car is moving. According to the statistics recorded by the National Highway Traffic Safety, your chances of injuries in a crash are reduced by 50% when you are wearing your seatbelt. Anyone who is in the car should be wearing one as well.
5. Keep a Safe Distance
The general rule of thumb when operating a vehicle is to stay 3 to 4 seconds behind the car in front of you. By doing this, you are giving yourself enough time to stop in case they do so abruptly. Hitting someone from behind can cause a lot of damage and even injuries to you or them.
August 2024 Week 4 Identifying Fatigue
Fatigue is the condition of being physically or mentally tired or exhausted. Extreme fatigue can lead to uncontrolled and involuntary shutdown of the brain.
Here are some things to look for in your coworkers to help identify fatigue. Everyone needs your help, because in most cases, people who are under significant fatigue can’t identify it themselves. These include:
- Your job performance slows.
- Your job quality is reduced.
- You can’t recall their last thought, conversation, or what they did a moment ago.
- You have trouble solving problems.
- You make errors.
- You have a near-miss accident.
- You have trouble focusing.
- Your head droops.
- You can’t stop yawning.
When you’re fatigued you will make errors in judgment. Your mind or eyes can be off task and you can make a critical error.