Todd Jerome Jenkins, MS, CSP, SMS, CHST, STSC

Safety Aficionado & Ph.D. Student

10 TIPS for Workplace Safety

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  1.  Prevent injuries at work by staying focused at work.  Stop and think about the work, what hazards you’ll be exposed to and how you’re going to control them.  Then ask yourself if I saw someone I loved doing the I plan to do it, would I still do it that way.
  2. Pay attention to all workplace signs, learn about fire extinguishers, and know your emergency procedures.
  3. When your work requires the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), where it.  PPE is designed as the last defense between you and an injury.
  4. Keep your work area tidy.  A clean work area is a safe work area.  Do not leave anything in walkways, stairwells, or scaffolding.   Clutter can obstruct emergency exits and create trip hazards.  
  5. Always review the operator’s manual when using a tool for the first time.  Only use equipment you have been trained to use, only when your employer authorizes you.  
  6. Do not modify ladders or use self-supporting ladders to access anything.  Do not alter scaffolding unless you have been trained.  Machine guards are in place for a reason; leave them on the machine.  If you didn’t put the lock-out devices on, leave them alone.
  7. Unsafe or defective tools, equipment, hazardous conditions, or when you see unsafe practices should be reported to your supervisor immediately.  Tag out defective tools and equipment.  Make safe any unsafe area.  Help the person make the unsafe choice by coaching them on safe practices.
  8. Never enter a confined space unless you have been trained to do so.  Even then, if you don’t know what’s in the hole, don’t go.   Make sure your employer has an air monitoring device and ask to see the results.  Safe levels of breathing air are between 19.5% and 23.5%.
  9. Never work at heights without some form of fall protection.  Passive fall protection is always the best choice.  A passive system is always in place, like a guard rail.  If you have to choose an active system, like a personal fall arrest harness and self-retracting lanyard, ensure you understand how to inspect the harness and know how to wear it properly.  A fall in an unproperly worn harness can be harrowing.
  10. You are the person most responsible for your safety.  Stay focused on your work and think through the task before starting them and participate in weekly safety meetings.

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