Tag: Weekly Safety Message 11

Stopping Work Safety Talk

When there are hazards present or some other issue that interferes with being able to perform a work task safely, then it is important to feel comfortable to stop the work until it is safe to continue. Many companies stress the importance of being able to stop work without punishment, but there are many employees who do not feel comfortable doing this for many reasons.

Reasons Why Individuals Are Afraid to Stop Work

• Afraid of punishment from supervisors
• Want to avoid conflict with others
• Do not want to be seen as scared or a “snitch”
• Do not want to slow work down

It is easier said than done to stop work in the name of safety, but it needs to be communicated that it is encouraged and okay to do so. Even if the highest levels of management in a company stress the importance of being able to stop work, a single individual can make it hard for the employees on the worksite actually to do so comfortably. Employees need to know different avenues of reporting safety hazards to the management in a company.

If a certain manager or supervisor makes it uncomfortable for you to stop work or report a hazard, go to another supervisor or your safety officer to do so. You should be able to go to someone who will work to fix the problem, as well as not disclose who reported the hazard in the first place if you feel that you could be punished for doing so. Outside of the company, you have the right as an employee to report safety issues to OSHA without the fear of retaliation. You can do so confidentially.

Reasons to Stop Work

• To protect yourself and your fellow coworkers
• To protect property or equipment from damage or loss
• To protect the company’s bottom line and reputation

Situations Where Stopping Work is Necessary

• When there is an unaddressed hazard.
• When the correct personnel are not a part of the task. For example- a company policy states that a spotter is needed while working on an aerial lift, and the spotter needs to leave the area. You need to stop work until the spotter returns.
• When you do not have the right tool or equipment for the job. Using tools not designed for the task can lead to an incident.
• When you do not understand the work task or procedures. Stop and get clarification for the task.
• When you do not have the correct knowledge or training to do a task safely.

Summary

These are just a few of the situations where stopping work is necessary. Individuals need to feel comfortable stopping work to address whatever the problem is to be able to complete the work safely and efficiently. Many times the fixes that will make a job safer are quick and easy. You have the power to make a difference and stop work when it is needed. Despite how uncomfortable some of these situations can be, if an incident occurs, it is much more painful for everyone involved.

Discussion points:

-What are some situations that could come up in your work today where stopping work is necessary?

-Do you feel comfortable stopping work? Why or why not?

-Discuss a past incident and how stopping work could have prevented it.

Stopping Work

Taking Ownership Safety Talk

Much of the time spent talking about safety on the job is focused on educating workers to be able to recognize or identify hazards on the job. Less time is spent discussing how to mitigate those hazards correctly. Part of correctly mitigating a hazard in the workplace is taking ownership of it and seeing it through so that it gets corrected.

Recognizing Versus Taking Ownership

There is a huge difference between a worker who is able to recognize a hazard and a worker who recognizes a hazard and owns it until it is corrected. You may have heard someone say after an incident occurs, “yeah, I saw him doing that, I knew something was going to happen” or “I knew someone was going to trip over that broken concrete at some point.”

These statements show that the person saying this recognized the hazard, but most likely stopped there. They identified it as a hazard, but they did not take ownership of the hazard and follow through on making sure it gets corrected.

Management Failure

There are situations where a hazard is reported by a worker, but not fixed by management. In these cases, it is often a failure by management or the person above you who is responsible for taking your concern about a hazard and correcting it if needed. As the worker, there are still options for you if this occurs. It may be a case of the person who is responsible for fixing the problem just simply forgetting about it.

As the worker on the ground near the hazard, remind them that it needs to be fixed. If it is a case of a supervisor not taking the concern of a hazard seriously, then go to a different supervisor or a higher level of management. Having the mindset of “I did my part” is not good enough when it leaves a hazard for others to be exposed to.

Summary

Safety in the workplace is everyone’s responsibility, and injuries affect everyone in that workplace, not just the person who gets hurt. When you recognize a hazard, do not just keep it to yourself. Doing this may protect you, but it leaves everyone else in that area vulnerable to an injury or incident.

Discussion point:

-What is a hazard that people are likely to recognize in a workplace and think to themselves, “it is not a big deal” or “someone else will take care of it”?

Taking Ownership of Safety

Back Injuries and Prevention Safety Talk

Back injuries are some of the most prevalent and hardest-to-prevent injuries on the job. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than one million workers suffer back injuries each year, and back injuries account for one of every five workplace injuries or illnesses. These types of injuries account for a large majority of worker’s compensation claims every year.

Back injuries often occur when:

• An individual is lifting up an object
• Using improper lifting techniques, such as lifting with the back and not the legs
• Lifting an object that is too heavy for the individual
• Twisting while lifting or carrying objects
• Repetitive lifting during a work task

Ways to Prevent Back Injuries

Eliminate– The best way to protect individuals against back injuries is to eliminate as many lifts as possible during the workday. Using equipment such as forklifts, heavy equipment, dollies, etc., is the best way to eliminate handling and lifting objects by hand. Break down large or heavy objects that pose a hazard when lifting into smaller, safer loads when possible.

Engineering Controls– Set up work areas that are ergonomically friendly to all employees. Install mechanical lifting devices and conveyor belts where feasible to limit handling objects. Install proper shelving and set up storage areas that keep objects and lifts within an optimal range. Keeping objects within the proper range helps keep employees from making awkward or dangerous lifts that can result in a sprain.

Administrative Controls– Use the buddy system when lifting any awkward or heavy objects. Agree on weight limits for lifting. For example, having a policy to not lift anything over 100lbs as a team without first involving a supervisor to see if there is a safer way to complete the lift is an example of an administrative control. Also, always select employees who are physically capable of making the lifts of a task before the work begins.

Personal protective equipment such as back supports or back belts has not shown to be overly effective in preventing back injuries. These devices often create a false sense of security when completing lifts. Individuals should focus on stretching and using proper lifting techniques over using a back belt to keep them safe.

Discussion points:

1. Are there hazardous lifts we can eliminate in our daily operations?
2. Are we using engineering controls when we cannot eliminate a lift, or are we just completing the lifts without looking at a safer way to do them?

Back Injury Prevention Safety Presentation

Are you only looking for a complete safety meeting on back injury prevention and do not need a full membership? Buy our one-time purchase product bundle, which includes a 13-slide PowerPoint presentation, a 10-question quiz, answer sheet, a sign-in sheet, and two safety talks.

Back Injuries and Prevention