Tag: Weekly Safety Message 12

  • How to Have a Safe 4th of July

    How to Have a Safe 4th of July: 3 Important Tips

    The start of summer is the perfect time to gather with family and friends for good food and fun times. This year, celebrate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in a safe way. Our July 4th safety tips cover a few key summer safety topics to keep you and your family safe this Independence Day.

     Sparkler and Fireworks Safety
    More than 50,000 fires are caused by fireworks every year. Take the proper precautions when operating fireworks.

     Never disassemble or try to make your own fireworks.
    • Don’t point  sparklers, or fireworks at yourself or others, especially while they’re being lit.
    • Only light fireworks on the ground and in areas that are dry and fire-resistant.
    • Don’t attempt to ignite fireworks at the same time.
    • Never allow young children to handle fireworks or sparklers to prevent firework-related injuries.
    • Always keep a portable fire extinguisher close by. Also, keep a water hose or buckets of water nearby to put out fires.
    • If fireworks malfunction, don’t relight them! Douse and soak malfunctioning fireworks with water then throw them away.
    • Resist the urge to bring your dog to a fireworks display. The safest place for them is at home where it’s familiar, quiet and not crowded.

    Water and Pool Activity Safety
    As July is one of the hottest months of the year, many families turn to water activities to beat the heat. However, even fun water activities have serious risks if the proper precautions aren’t taken.

    • Review safe boating practices.
    • Never consume alcohol while driving a boat.
    • Before boating, always check that there are enough life preservers on hand for every passenger.
    • Set water safety rules for your family, especially if there’s a young child.
    • Keep a first aid kit near the pool.

    Grilling Safety
    July is one of the peak months for grilling fires. Enjoy grilling your favorite meals this summer while also keeping your family safe.

    • Check gas grill hoses for cracks, holes and leaks.
    • Keep children away from grills. Gas leaks, blocked tubes, and propane tanks can be a cause of grill fires and explosions.
    • Never grill indoors, in the garage, in any enclosed area or on a surface that might catch fire.
    • Keep the grill at least two feet away from decks, siding, branches and any outdoor equipment that can catch fire quickly.

    If you follow these simple July 4th safety tips, your entire family will be sure to have a safe and memorable holiday weekend.

    https://safetytoolboxtopics.com/Seasonal/how-to-have-a-safe-4th-of-july-3-important-tips.html

  • Centennial Renovations to The Green’s Landscape

    UD is renovating Magnolia Circle and Memorial Hall’s landscape using the Diffenback Endowment, restoring Marian Coffin’s original design with new gardens, plantings, and enhanced vistas to celebrate Memorial Hall’s centennial. (UDAILY)

     

  • Questions to Ask Before a Work Task

    Questions to Ask Before a Work Task Safety Talk

    There are many questions that we need to ask or answer throughout a workday to get a job accomplished. The same can be said for working safely. There are many different questions we can ask ourselves and the other individuals involved in a work task to ensure we are working safely.

    Examples of Questions to Ask

    Prior to starting a work task, we should be running through checklists- whether it is an actual physical checklist or a mental checklist. No matter if the checklist is a physical one or a mental one, there is often a set of questions that need to be answered to double-check that everything is in line prior to work beginning.

    Some examples of questions that can be asked:

    • Do I understand the work task?
    • Do I understand the hazards associated with the work?
    • What can injure me?
    • Do I have the necessary training needed for the task?
    • Is all associated paperwork completed?
    • Do I have all the tools needed to do the job?
    • Are the right personnel involved in the task?

    Human Performance Questions

    There are also other questions to ask yourself regarding you and your state of mind prior to a task beginning. It is important to do a self-check to ensure you are able to complete your work to the best of your ability as well as safely as possible. Some questions to ask yourself:

    • Am I stressed?
    • Is my focus on the work task?
    • Is fatigue, medication, or illness affecting my work?

    team work safety talkWhat to do with the Answers

    Asking these questions serves no purpose if you do not follow through with the information that comes from them. For example, if you find a deficiency in the paperwork needed to complete the work task, then you need to stop work and get the necessary paperwork completed before proceeding. When completing a self-check, if you find that your focus is not on the task, how can you fix it?

    Is it a simple phone call home before starting the task to get peace of mind? Is it changing the work area so that you are more easily able to focus on the work task? Regardless of the issue, find a solution prior to beginning work.

    Discussion point:

    -What other questions are important to help us work safely?

    Questions to Ask Before a Work Task

     

  • Interim Dean Named for College of Health Sciences

    Jillian Trabulsi has been named interim dean of UD’s College of Health Sciences, effective July 1, 2025, bringing extensive leadership and research experience in nutrition and health behavior. (UDAILY)

     

  • Vehicle Inspections

    Vehicle Inspections Safety Talk

    The roads can be an extremely dangerous place. According to the National Safety Council, an estimated 42,000 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2020. While many accidents are caused by distracted driving and driving under the influence, mechanical issues also lead to accidents. Vehicle inspections and preventative maintenance are effective ways to prevent mechanical issue-related crashes.

    Mechanical Issue-Related Crashes

    Only a few types of mechanical issues represented the majority of accidents that were caused by some type of failure in a vehicle. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration reported that tire/ wheel degradation or failure represented 43% of all mechanical issues resulting in crashes. Brake degradation or failure was second at 21%, and steering/suspension/ transmission failure represented 10.5% of mechanical issues that lead to accidents. It is important to inspect your vehicle for these common issues.

    Vehicle Inspections

    Most states require an annual in-depth inspection of any vehicle registered in that state to help avoid these types of problems creating a hazard on the road. It is important to also complete more frequent inspections of your vehicle prior to use. A simple walk around of your car or truck prior to operation can prevent an accident. A few things to look for during a quick inspection:

    • Look for low tire pressure. This could signal that you need air in the tire or a patch, depending on the problem.
    • Look for any bubbles in your tire. If there is a bubble in your tire it means you have a break in a belt in the tire, and it is now compromised. It is recommended that you use your spare or get it replaced immediately before driving the vehicle again because the tire could give way at any time.
    • Start the car and listen for any odd noises.
    • Make sure there are no objects that you could strike pulling out from where you are parked.
    • Pull forward and test the brakes before starting your trip.

    vehicle inspectionsPreventative Maintenance

    There is a lot of maintenance vehicles require to ensure safe and efficient operation. Changing tires before they get too worn is very important to be able to operate a vehicle safely. Other common issues to address include changing the oil, replacing belts, and replacing fluids, to name a few. Read your vehicle’s owner manual to get familiar with what preventative maintenance needs taken care of and when.

    Summary

    While the majority of the time you will never have any of the issues mentioned above, the one time you do, it could result in a serious accident. Take mechanical issues seriously, and when you find one during an inspection, get it fixed by a professional to ensure the vehicle is safe to operate.

    Vehicle Inspections

  • Celebrating UD’s Newest Doctors

    The University of Delaware’s 2025 Doctoral Hooding Ceremony honored about 230 graduates from 28 countries, celebrating years of dedication, personal journeys, and the achievement of joining the top 2% with doctoral degrees. (UDAILY)

     

  • Three Way Communication

    How to Use Three Way Communication

    Three-Way Communication Safety Talk

    Communication is critical to working safely and efficiently. While the process of verbal communication seems straight forward there are many issues to consider. This safety talk focuses on the issues revolving around verbal communication and using a best practice called three-way communication to improve communication between employees during work tasks.

    Common Problems to Consider with Verbal Communication

    There are many issues that affect whether or not our desired message is getting across to the receiver correctly. Some common issues to consider:

    • Culture Barriers- Many people speak English as a second language and may not understand what is being said. Even in different geographical regions of the same country, cultural barriers can exist.
    • Assumptions- Making assumptions about what someone is trying to say or will say can be a dangerous mistake at work. Making assumptions about what message someone is trying to convey can be affected by mood, distractions, time pressure, etc.
    • Mixed or Confusing Messages- Poor word choices or long-winded messages can lead to confusion.

    Verbal communication through face-to-face conversations can experience any or all of the issues mentioned above. Any issue or problem with the message being sent is increased when using a radio or phone to verbally communicate with coworkers. Along with the above-mentioned issues, there are other issues when communicating with these devices, such as interference, poor reception, background noise, lack of nonverbal cues, etc.

    A tool to help address the above issues to ensure that the correct message is being sent and understood is “three-way communication,” also called the repeat back process.

    Three-Way Communication as a Best Practice

    Three-way communication can be very effective in validating the message being sent between the sender and receiver, thus reducing the chance of a mistake occurring during a work task.

    How Three-Way Communication Works

    The basic outline of three-way communication is as follows:

    1. The sender states his message to the receiver.
    2. The receiver acknowledges the communication by repeating the critical information in the communication back to the sender. If the receiver did not understand the communication, then he has to ask the sender for clarification.
    3. The last step is the sender confirms the message is correctly understood by the receiver, or if it is not understood, the sender has to indicate that the message is not understood, and the three-way communication process has to start over.

    Here is a basic scenario in a workplace: Two mechanics are aligning a belt on a conveyor, and they are communicating via radio since they are not close to each other. The process involves powering the conveyor to align the belt.

    Sender: I am away from belt, you are clear to energize the belt to track it into place.
    Receiver: You are away from the belt, I can energize the belt now.
    Sender: That is correct, clear to energize.

    Summary

    There are many issues in every form of communication. While verbal communication seems like a straightforward way to convey a message compared to an email or text, there are still many issues that can be present while using it. Three-way communication can be critical in verifying a message is understood during a work task which can make all the difference in whether a worker is injured or not.

    Three Way Communication

  • Happy 100th, Memorial

    Memorial Hall, UD’s iconic building, turns 100. Once a Library, Post Office, and WWI memorial, it now houses academic departments, symbolizing traditional, pride, and scholarly gravitas for generations of students and faculty since its 1925 dedication. (UDAILY)

     

  • The Negative Side of Quick Reactions

    The Negative Side of Quick Reactions Safety Talk

    There are many times when quick reactions put people in the line of fire where they can be hurt. A person sees a situation occurring, and in an instant, their mind tells their body how to react. At work, an impulsive decision to jump in and try to help in a situation going wrong may be the last decision a person makes. It is important to consider what our first reaction may be to certain situations and attempt to fight the urge to react impulsively without thought.

    downsides of quick reaction times toolbox talkA Look at Reaction Time

    One would think that reaction time would take a lot longer than it actually does due to all the moving parts our bodies have responding to one another. As an example, we will look at an object falling to the floor. In the example scenario, a hammer is sitting on a shelf. A mechanic bumps the shelf, and the hammer slides over the edge and begins to fall. The mechanic sees this occurring, and in less than half a second, he sticks his hand out in an attempt to catch the hammer.

    In the small amount of time from the hammer beginning to fall to the mechanic reaching out his hand, a lot of processes are occurring in his body to create this reaction. According to ScientificAmerican.com, first, the information travels from sensory cells called neurons from the eye to the brain’s visual cortex, an area devoted to understanding what you see. Next, the motor cortex—the part of the brain that directs movement—has to send signals along your spinal cord and to your arm, hand and finger muscles, telling them to respond in the proper sequence to catch the hammer—quick!

    Implications of Quick Reactions

    While the fact that all of these processes take place in under half a second is amazing, it can also serve as the nail in the coffin during a bad situation at work. In our dropped hammer scenario, what if there is moving machinery in the path where he is sticking his hand or a hot surface? A crushed finger injury would also be very likely if he finds his hand between the hammer and a surface below. While these injuries are relatively minor, there are many examples of bad incidents that turned deadly due to a quick reaction by someone nearby.

    Deadly Scenarios Involving Quick Reactions

    An all too common occurrence in confined space work is multiple fatalities. There have been many situations when one worker falls victim to hazardous conditions in a confined space, and then bystanders make the quick decision and react to try to rescue the victim. The hopeful rescuers quickly become victims themselves.

    Another example of a deadly quick reaction is shown in a recent video that has surfaced on the internet. The video is of a forklift that is past its lifting capacity when it starts to tip forward while loading a truck. A woman reacts without thought and jumps to grab onto the counterweight in an attempt to pull the forklift down. As the forklift continues to tip forward, the load drops onto the ground, which sends the counterweight back down to the ground. The problem is the woman has fallen off the counterweight and is crushed underneath the forklift.

    Woman Crushed by Forklift

    Summary

    There are times when a quick reaction is the only thing that saves a person’s life. On the other hand, there are also times when quick reactions put people who are completely safe during a bad situation in harm’s way. Be aware of the impulse to act without proper thought. Taking even just a second to evaluate the implications of a decision to act may make the difference in preventing an injury to you or a coworker.

    Discussion point:

    • What are some other examples of when a quick reaction can do more harm than good?

    The Negative Side of Quick Reactions

  • UD Commencement 2025

    At UD’s 2025 Commencement, Alumnus Matt O’Donnell urged graduates to embrace technology with humanity. President Assanis echoed this, highlighting creativity and empathy as irreplaceable. Over 6,400 graduates were celebrated. (UDAILY)