Workplace Safety Tips!

Getting to Know the Three E’s of Safety 

What you don’t know can get you hurt, and what you think you know can get you hurt as well. When it comes to safety the person who is at risk for injury must be aware of the hazard and what can be done to control the hazard and prevent injury. This is one of the three E’s of safety: Evaluation, Education, and Enforcement.

Evaluation

Evaluation is critical to creating a safe workplace and requires a consistent process. Many organizations consider job hazard analysis as the only evaluation. I recommend that an organization should be regularly checked against a behavioural benchmark. What are executives, middle managers, and functional level employees doing to create a zero-injury environment? How are employees involved in the safety process? How can safety education and training at all levels be improved?

Education

Education is meant to increase a person’s understanding of a subject. It surprises me to find organizations that repeat the same safety education and training year after year and expect improvement. It’s not common for me to find companies using the same script for training that has been used for 5 or 6 years. The effectiveness of this training has long gone by the wayside. Learning about OSHA and keeping up to date with changes can be done by purchasing an up-to-date version of Mancomm’s 1910 OSHA book and forming study groups with employees and supervisors. Safety committee members can use this book to expand their knowledge thereby positively influencing their co-workers to create a safe workplace. Plenty of educational books exist that can help you in getting to know safety as well. Several of my books, including ZERO!, I Am Safe!, Working Safely in a Changing Environment, etc., not to mention books by Scott Geller, Aubrey C. Daniels and others, are excellent sources of information that can raise an overall level of safety understanding in the organization, and can ultimately lead to a comfort level with enforcement.

Read more about first aid courses.

Enforcement

Enforcement is a subject that many leaders don’t like to talk about. It’s a subject that many associate with penalties, termination, and other uncomfortable consequences.  Any society, organization, or team that does not enforce expected behaviours is bound to fail due to the chaos created by those who decide not to follow the expectations. To deal with this barrier, enforcement of safe work practices should be approached to solidify behaviour accepted by the organization. Creating a safe work environment  doesn’t mean you have to write a new rule every time someone gets hurt, but sadly many organizations react this way. The new year is here, and it is your choice to be involved. What will you do at your level of the organization? How much time will you use over the next several months to increase your knowledge about safety? When company leaders and employees, and bargaining unit members get to know safety, they will find that it’s possible to create a workplace where nobody gets hurt. That’s something we can all live with.

Workplace Safety Tips

While safety should be a concern to everyone on the job, simply telling workers that they need to follow established policies set by management may not be the most effective way to get the message across. Sitting in a meeting to listen to accident statistics or learn about new procedures can be boring to employees.

Getting the Safety Message Across

There are several strategies that can be used to compose funny workplace safety tips. For some people, a simple rhyme is easy to remember and keeps the idea of staying safe on the job fresh in the employee’s mind. Here are some examples of safety rhymes:

• “Falling objects can be brutal, so wear your hard hat to protect your noodle.”
• “A spill or a slip could mean a hospital trip.”
• “Working in a safe way means you will live to see another day.”
• “If you mess up, don’t hesitate to ‘fess up.”

Another way to convey safety messages to workers in a fun way is to use a play onwords. These catchy phrases are also likely to stick in the reader’s mind and keep him or her focused on steps they can take to stay safe while performing job duties. The following can be used to get the safety message across:

• “Take a shortcut and you will be cutting your life short.”
• “If you don’t want to bet your life, don’t gamble with safety.”
• “If you are in favour of safety glasses, Say: ‘Eye'”
• “It’s better to arrive late in this world than early in the next.”
• More Examples of Funny Workplace Safety Tips

Here are some more examples of funny workplace safety tips to keep in mind to  help keep you and your co-workers from harm as all of you go about your duties on the job:

• “Don’t be afraid to ask a dumb question. It’s a lot easier to deal with than a dumb mistake.”
• “If you don’t want your wife to spend your 401(k), don’t get hurt on the job today.”
• “Remember: Safety is not an accident.”
• “Remember to work safe today. Heaven can wait.”
• “Your first mistake can also be your last.”
• “Remember your safety ABC’s: Always Be Careful”

Why Use Humour in Safety Messages

Once a person loses interest in what is being presented, they are less likely to take in the entire message. If they can become engaged with the message because it strikes them as amusing, it is more likely to stick with them after they hear or see it for the first time. Safety at work is not something that workers can be exposed to once and no further information or follow-up is needed. Instead, it is a concept that should be focused on and discussed often. Using humour to do so can capture the employees’ interest and keep the message fresh. These are just a sample of some funny workplace safety tips that can help workers avoid being injured (or worse) on the job. When people get hurt at work, it costs employers in productivity and increased costs for workers’ compensation and other benefits. Employees are affected too, since a job-related accident means lower morale. It could also mean that available work must be done with fewer staff member. Avoiding the accident or injury in the first place is a much better approach and using humour to do so is a very effective method for helping people stay safe.

You might also be interested in Forklift Training.

Workplace Safety Tips A Comprehensive Resource

“Protect your hands; you need them to pick up your paycheck.”

And that may very well be the case, but that’s only the beginning. To ensure that you don’t become an afterthought, make safety your first thought with these workplace safety tips. General Precautions

• Your safety is your personal responsibility.
• Always follow the correct procedures.
• Never take shortcuts.
• Take responsibility and clean up if you made a mess.
• Clean and organize your workspace.
• Ensure a clear and easy route to emergency exits and equipment.
• Be alert and awake on the job.
• Be attentive always to your work surroundings.
• When in doubt, contact your supervisor or manager for instruction, guidance, or training.
• Never take risks when it comes to safety.
• Obey safety signs, stickers, and tags.
• Take short breaks when you keep up a repetitive motion for a long period of time, and sit, stand, or walk with good posture.
• Report serious injuries immediately to a supervisor and get emergency assistance.
• Keep things in perspective. Hazards may be limitless, so focus on the most likely risks first. Strained backs and sliced fingers may be more popular in your workspace than would the risk of flooding (as in a basement office) or the risk of wild animals cutting loose (as in a zoo).

Safety Is A Team Effort

• Educate everyone in the workplace about the safety requirements and consider posting a list of workplace safety tips. A workplace safety training will help them reduce or eliminate injuries and illnesses from occurring in the workplace.
• Always keep the communication lines open with your co-workers, employers, or employees in order to promote and maintain a safe environment.
• Immediately notify others of any (new or old) hazards that you perceive.
• Be alert to hazards that could affect anyone— not just yourself; in this respect, always maintain a team mentality.
• Report a hazardous condition immediately to your manager or supervisor.
• Be conscious as to what others are doing around you and do your best to ensure you don’t pose a hazard to them (and vice versa).
• If you’re an employer, invite and involve your employees in safety planning; obtain their insight, give and take suggestions, and ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Did You Know?

1. 92% Of Injuries are Sustained by Men – In 2010, 92% that had fatal work injuries were men compared to only 8% of women.
2. Work Gloves are Underused – Something as trivial as not putting on a pair of proper gloves is responsible for 48 million dollars each year.
3. 12 Die Every Day – Every day, more than 12 workers die on the job – over 4,500 a year.

Action Items

1. Always be awake and alert in your workspace.
2. Immediately clean and/or report any potential hazards (spills, leaks, fire hazard obstacles)
3. Closely follow instructions when using any tool or machine.
4. Dress appropriately for your specific workspace and/or task.
5. Always wear the protective equipment that is intended for your task.
6. Make safety your first thought—not your afterthought!

An Uplifting Thought: Lifting and Climbing Safely

• Always use both hands when lifting a heavy or cumbersome object.
• Adopt a proper stance for lifting: put the strain on your legs, not your back (crouch at your feet, keep your back straight, and don’t bend at the waist).
• Test the weight before you lift something up completely; it might be too late if you realize a few seconds later that it’s too heavy or cumbersome for you. An easy way to do this is to nudge it with your foot first.
• Consider a back brace if the work is heavy or you have a sensitive back.
• Move your feet, not your back, when you want to travel or turn while carrying a heavy load.
• Lift slowly and smoothly.
• Keep your burden close to your body; this means less strain on you.
• If your load is too heavy for you to handle alone, don’t be shy—ask for help!
• Ensure ladders are secure and steady before climbing aboard.
• Never climb on improvised ladders. Shelves and storage units are poor substitutes. Don’t be lazy and find a proper solid ladder.
• Don’t let appearances fool you. Railings might appear solid and fixed, but they might be improperly secured; at least, test them first.
• Use safety harnesses if your job includes heights.
• Eliminate distractions when working on a roof, scaffold, or other elevated platform. More than ever, stay focused and alert!
• Keep an eye out on the floor to ensure it’s free of obstacles and spills. If it isn’t, get cleaning!

Tools and Machinery: Putting Safety First

• Use machinery only if you’re authorized, trained, and alert.
• Always use the appropriate tool for the respective task.
• Clean your tools and keep them in good working order.
• Organize your tools and don’t be careless; someone could easily slip or get hit due to a misplaced object.
• Always ensure that the operator of a machine sees you; never approach from behind or from a blind side.
• Do not perform a task unless you’ve been trained, and you are aware of the hazards as well as how to mitigate/eliminate them.
• Never leave machinery running unattended.
• Never remove safety guards that are in place to protect you and the surrounding area.
• Obey all operating instructions.
• If something is wrong, stop the machine immediately and get assistance.
• Communicate your location and process to those around you, so they’ll know where you are, what you’re doing, and when they need to be getting out of the way.
• Never walk in front of a forklift, tractor, or any other heavy machine; the operator may not have seen you—and, even if he has, there’s always room for error, so make sure that error isn’t you being trampled.
• Always read labels and instructions alerting you to potential dangers and hazards.
• Unless it’s your job, never tamper with electric controls, cords, switches, or other such hazardous items.
• Dress properly and compactly: billowing, loose, or hanging clothes and accessories (ties, earrings, bracelets, loose sleeves, etc.) may easily get caught up in moving parts. At best, the offending objects may be destroyed; at worst, they could ruin the machine or severely hurt you.
• Never insert fingers or any other objects that don’t belong into moving machinery.
• Turn off machines and equipment before you even consider cleaning, un-jamming, oiling, adjusting, or moving them.

Beware of Fire Hazards

• Come up with a fire emergency plan; ensure that everyone knows and understands it.
• Practice fire drills.
• Avoid “power strips” which can ignite a fire if overloaded.
• Ventilation is critical, especially if dealing with fumes and chemicals. Good ventilation helps to reduce the toxins in the air, and thus to eliminate highly flammable vapours.
• In case of fire, know what has fed the fire. Never fight a grease fire with water; water will splash the oil and spread the flames. Be aware of the whereabouts and use of fire extinguishers.

Read more about Fire Fighting Training.

Gearing Up for Safety

• Always wear appropriate clothing and shoes respective to your job.
• Fire extinguishers must be available and readily attainable.
• First aid kits must be available and readily attainable.
• Never remove or tamper with safety devices.
• Use a back brace if you’re lifting heavy objects or you’ve got a sensitive back.
• A hard hat will protect you if there’s a risk of falling objects
• Wear gloves if you’re handling sharp objects or toxic substances.
• Wear goggles if your work poses a hazard to your eyes.
• Wear safety harnesses if you’re working from an elevated location and there’s the risk of falling.
• Wear non-skid footgear: if your workspace involves slippery surfaces (kitchens, spas, pools, etc. or if you’re lifting heavy items
• Always wear a breathing mask, especially if: you deal with dangerous or toxic chemicals or fumes, your workspace has poor ventilation or your workspace has debris, dust, and other flying particles.
• Wear the protective equipment that is intended and recommended for your task. For example, seat belts, safety glasses or goggles, protective clothing, headgear, and/or footgear, safety harnesses, etc.
  

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