Monday, May 5, 2014

Take the Extra Step to Safety

MAKE-IT-SAFE MONDAY

We've all heard the common saying, “the first step is admitting you have a problem.” We spend a substantial amount of time writing safety tips for you, but all of this is useless unless you can stop and identify the potential safety issues in your workplace or home that need to be addressed. It’s important to be able to identify safety and health issues that could be relevant for your situation. 

Some questions that OSHA recommends asking are:

  • Do you or your co-workers have injuries or health complaints?
  • Who has been hurt or affected? 
  • Where do these complaints generally occur? 
  • What could be causing these problems?

Common issues in the workplace are: 

  • Slips and falls,
  • Injuries with moving machinery,
  • Fire,
  • Violence,
  • Chemicals,
  • Physical conditions (noise and temperature),
  • Repetitive muscle strain (Carpal tunnel, back injuries, and knee injuries).

Strategies for finding and addressing any issues:

  • It’s important to walk around your workplace and try to notice potential safety issues. 
  • Be sure to ask the employees if they've noticed any potential dangers that need to be addressed. 
  • Ask yourself if you can completely eliminate the hazards you find; if not, how can you control the risks so harm is less likely? 
  • Once you finish assessing your workplace, make sure you keep records of your findings and what you did to solve any potential hazards. 
  • Set up a plan to reevaluate your workplace safety at least twice a year. 

Here at Lift’N Buddy we value your safety and the safety of the people around you.  Safety isn’t something to put on hold; admit that you have a potential problem and do not wait to address it. Figure out what potential problems exist and do something to fix them. 

Thank you for your time and attention.  Let’s make it safe this Monday.

Christopher Feigal
Demand Generation Specialist, Lift’n Buddy, a Southworth Company 

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