No. 3 GENERAL SAFETY RULES

Some things to know before you give the talk:

Do not assume that every employee has read or understands basic safety rules.

Obtain a copy of the basic safety rules from the company safety program, or sit down and create your own list of items. Start with the importance of immediately reporting any and all accidents, whether there is an injury or not.

Be prepared to discuss the reasons for any safety rule. If you do not understand the reason behind the rule, consult your manager or the Company Safety Director, Human Resources Manager or risk Manager for a detailed explanation.

Know the rules well enough to be able to read them and answer any questions employees may have about any of the rules.

Be sure to choose a meeting place that is adequate and affords no interruptions.

Keep your meeting to no less than five minutes and no longer than twenty minutes.

Employees are more receptive to talks that are informal, rather than “canned” or read. Read the subject matter to be discussed, and then formulate your discussion points.

If you choose to select someone else to conduct the meeting, give him or her a week’s advanced notice to prepare for the meeting.

The moderator for the meeting must make sure that he or she maintains control over the meeting. Tell everyone at the beginning of the meeting how long the meeting will last and stick to the topic and time schedule announced. (There is nothing worse than a long safety meeting that is not relevant. Value the employee’s time, especially if the employees are attending the meeting on their normal time off from work). Some employees will want to be more actively involved in discussions than others and it is not fair that one employee dominate a discussion. It also helps to let everyone know that they will be asked a question in the meeting and that their active participation is expected when they are called upon.

TIPS TO TALK ABOUT

Skip, trip and falls are the leading cause of workplace accidents. Most slip, trips and falls are related to inattentiveness; however, some slip, trip and falls occur even if one is “attentive”. General housekeeping practices are important. Having to step on or around debris or a spill left on the floor is not a good practice. Warning signs, even barricades, should be put up to warn about hazards, as soon as the hazard is noticed. When cleaning floors, sometimes it is not enough to place out a WET FLOOR sign, but other people should be verbally informed, if they will be in the area. Where possible, section off the area to be mopped or cleaned with a temporary barricade.

Slip, trip and falls are also common where there are changes in grade, like a slope on a stairway. Improperly maintained stairs and slopes that are not easily recognizable, with handrails, signage, leading edge markings, etc, can be contributing factors to serious accidents where there are changes in grade. Carrying items up and down stairs and grades, if done improperly, can contribute to an accident.

Open desk drawers, over-filled filing cabinet drawers, extension cords and computer cords, even chairs and boxes placed in unsuspecting places, can be contributing factors to accidents in offices and workspaces. Putting a ladder up behind a door, even temporarily, is asking for trouble.

Speaking of ladders and step stools, a chair is not a safe alternative to a step stool or ladder. We’ve all been guilty of using a chair to reach things, but this is not a good idea. Chairs were made for sitting, not climbing. Speaking of rocking, every year, thousands of people suffer disabling injuries when they rock too far in a chair and flip over backwards. We laugh, but when the accident ends up in a serious injury, that is no laughing matter.

Besides slip, trips and falls, there are a host of other activities we engage in, while at work, that can result in an accident and injury potential. Something as simple as flipping a staple from a piece of paper, rather than pinching and removing the staple, can result in an eye injury. We have basic safety rules in the company, but we don’t have a rule for every job task and every action an employee may or may not perform. Safety, we like to say, is common sense. But in reality, safety requires some thought. Usually, we can see the danger or we’re told something is dangerous. But, even then, we have to stop and think about what we do.

Safety is NOT second nature, but a learned pattern of behavior. So we read the safety rules. We think we understand them. But variables can and will happen, and it is then, that you are required to use your best judgment and discretion, to do the right thing, in a safe manner., AND, if you don’t know what to do, or you are unsure, ask for help. This is an expectation for every employee.

What to discuss in the safety meeting:

Read the safety rules of the Company. Pause after reading a few lines and look at the audience to insure no one is asleep. If you find an inattentive employee, have that employee read a few of the rules.

After reading the rules, ask a few “pop” questions of each employee:

Sample Questions to ask an employee:

True or False First Aid only injuries do not need to be documented or recorded

True or False Standing on a chair is permissible so long as it is a strong chair and it won’t roll.

True or False Always turn off any machine that creates a burning smell while being operated.

True or False Multi-plugging into one electrical outlet can cause a short and a fire.

Name ten things that can be done to prevent slips, trips and falls?

1. Cover or re-route wires
2. Inspect floor surfaces for defects
3. Cover holes
4. Place warning signs where there are changes in grade or slippery surfaces
5. Make sure stairs are properly maintained and have properly installed and maintained hand-rails
6. Clean up spills immediately
7. Make sure desk drawers are closed
8. Keep walk-paths clear of obstructions
9. Make sure you can see where you are walking
10. Watch for other people, as well as flooring defects obstructions in the area where you walk

Name five of the most common workplace accident causes and the corresponding rule(s) that would prevent such an accident.

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