Introduction

Happy New Year! As we kick off the New Year, now is the best time to have an open discussion on why safety is so important to you. This week we will discuss ways to keep our workplace safe by caring and sharing with our coworkers, keeping up with inspections, and sharing our safety resolutions with our coworkers.

Monday- SafetyMyVoice

SafetyMyVoice is a personal story that helps you to transmit to others why safety is important to you. It’s something that you experienced that altered your thinking of safety. When sharing your story with others it is important to describe how it impacted you and how it made you feel. When telling your story to others it is important that people listen with respect. SafetyMyVoice is not an open discussion, it’s for listening and to learn from each other. Have you shared your SafetyMyVoice with your peers?

Tuesday – New Year’s Resolution

Do you have a safety resolution set for the upcoming year? Most resolutions don’t make it past February, but try to keep these tips in mind when setting your goals for workplace safety.

• Always start with small achievable goals rather than large unachievable ones.
• The same idea applies to behavior, make one behavior change at a time and focus on the actions that will most likely contribute to the unsafe practices.
• Goals and resolutions are more likely to happen when you talk about them. Effectively communicate what your goal is and how you plan on achieving it. This is why safety action teams work well. Setting goals and putting a plan in place to achieve those goals.

Wednesday – Annual Facility Inspections

Keep your checklist of mandatory inspections on hand but adding other inspections will help facilitate a safer workplace. Inspections that are mandatory include fire extinguishers/hoses, cranes and lifting devices such as slings, emissions equipment, machine guarding and forklifts. Here are a few other facility inspections you can include to help create a safer workplace such as housekeeping, 5-S, emergency lighting and exit routes, preventative maintenance routines, ladders and stairs, electrical panel obstruction and general safety.

Thursday – Forklift Inspections

Did you know that forklifts are the most dangerous piece of equipment in general industry? Most of the injuries that occur on forklifts are due to improper use, faulty conditions or poor maintenance. When it comes to forklift compliance, inspections and training are the two most critical items to track.

• Inspections: OSHA requires pre-operation inspections (1910.178(q)(7).
  • Keep a record of pre-op examinations for critical items such as:
    • Tires: no significant damage and all lugs are present on all wheels
    • Warning devices: all working properly such as horns and lights
    • Lifting mechanisms: free from deficiencies
    • Seat and seat belt: present and working properly
    • Power: properly maintained, such as fluids for LPG engines, and batteries kept in working order
    • All brakes: working properly

• Training: the most important thing when it comes to forklift safety; operator competency can significantly impact your safety record.
  • Review periodically operator needs for training and ensure the required refresher evaluation is done every 3 years.
  • Have a skill matrix for your operators on which equipment they are authorized to operate.
    • All equipment will require competency training to see who can operate what.

Friday – Open Discussion

It is good practice to start your new year by making safety resolutions and communicating it to others. Go around the room and discuss how you are going to resolve to make your workplace safer, and what will you do to ensure your resolution sticks?

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