Monday - What is Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving is anything that takes your attention away from the task of driving. The biggest distraction today is texting. When engaging in a text conversation, you are completely removing your focus from the road for several seconds. Driving safely and keeping your attention on the road is the only way you can limit your risk of causing an avoidable accident. Most accidents can be prevented if the driver keeps their mind on the task. 

Tuesday – Complacency

The best way to describe complacency is being comfortable and secure in a task and not recognizing potential dangers. When tasks are repetitious, your mind may not stay on the task, causing you to go through the motions of carrying out duties without thinking them through.

Mind Not on Task:

The category we use for complacency on the job site is mind not on task. Once you take the feeling of the unknown out of a task, your mind can begin to wander onto other thoughts, setting you up for potential danger.

The most important things you can do to proactively avoid complacency is:

• Create and practice safety habits until they are your normal everyday duties.
• Share mistakes with others and use them as a teaching device of what not to do.
• Help others work safely - sharing is caring! 

Wednesday - Line of Fire

Have you ever held a nail for someone else trying to hit it with a hammer? You have absolutely no control of where that hammer is going to hit and could end up potentially having your finger hit. This is a perfect example of putting yourself in the line of fire.

According to Jyllian Kemsley, executive editor of Chemical & Engineering News, here are a few ways of improving safety:

• Look for hazards before you start working. At the most basic level, the line of fire is the path of a moving object that can potentially injure you. Ask yourself, “What can hurt me while I’m doing this task?” If you’re unsure, ask a coworker or supervisor. It’s always good to have a second set of eyes review what you’re planning to do.
• Eliminate the hazard when possible. Once line of fire hazards are identified, take steps to eliminate or control them. The best case scenario is to remove the hazards completely. 
• If you can’t eliminate a hazard, control it.
• Use best practices for minimizing hazards. Keep work areas neat and organized from obstruction and easy access to equipment. Use signs and stickers for clear labeling. Keep pathways clear and eliminate possible pinch points on doors and hand tools. Always use the correct tool for the job.

Thursday - Identifying Hazards

When identifying hazards, our first goal is making sure we are working at improving safety. You must accurately identify potential hazards by looking for all situations and things that can possibly cause harm.

A good start is the worksite inspections:

• Be an observer. Watch how tasks are performed.
• Look at the function of your equipment. How is the equipment functioning and is their potential for danger?
• Efficiency. Is your work site layout the most efficient and has it been modified to reduce potential hazards?

Always remember, be proactive not reactive! What are the activities being performed, can they be harmful, and are the hazards health or safety related?

Hazards usually present themselves in the following types of work situations:

• Physical work environment
• Types of substances, equipment, and materials being used in the work place
• Types of task being done and how they are preformed
• Management and design of work

Today take a moment and go around your work area and find three safety and three health hazards and bring them to your tool box meeting tomorrow and discuss your findings.

Friday - Free Speech Friday

What were your findings yesterday? Were any of these finding surprising or new? Have they been overlooked in the past? Is this the way it has always been done? Were you able to do a work around to avoid the hazard? What corrections will you make going forward?