Toolbox Topic: Walking on Ice
September 2021
With the ever-changing weather conditions while working in construction, and specifically the cold weather, comes icy conditions. Winter is upon us, so take special care with walking and working surfaces that we work around on a daily basis. Even walking to and from parking lots or between buildings at work during the winter requires special attention to avoid slipping and falling. Slips and falls are some of the most frequent types of injuries — especially during the winter months. No matter how well the snow and ice is removed from parking lots or sidewalks, pedestrians will still encounter some slippery surfaces when walking outdoors in the winter. It is important for everyone to be constantly aware of these dangers and to learn to walk safely on ice and slippery surfaces.
Wear Appropriate Clothing
• During bad weather, avoid boots or shoes with smooth soles and heels, such as plastic and leather soles. Instead, wear shoes or boots that provide traction on snow and ice; boots made of non-slip rubber or neoprene with grooved soles are best.
• Wear a heavy, bulky coat that will cushion you if you should fall.
• Wear a bright scarf or hat or reflective gear so drivers can see you.
• Keep warm, but make sure you can hear what’s going on around you.
• During the day, wear sunglasses to help you see better and avoid hazards.
• Whatever you wear, make sure it doesn’t block your vision or make it hard for you to hear traffic.
Being Safe Walking Over Ice – Walk Like a Penguin!
• In cold temperatures, approach with caution and assume that all wet, dark areas on pavements are slippery and icy. Dew or water vapor can freeze on cold surfaces, forming an extra-thin, nearly invisible layer of ice that can look like a wet spot on the pavement.
• Walk in designated walkways as much as possible. Taking shortcuts over snow piles and other frozen areas can be hazardous. Look ahead when you walk; a snow- or ice-covered sidewalk or driveway, especially if on a hill, may require travel along its grassy edge for traction.
1. If you must walk in the street, walk against the flow of traffic, as close to the curb as you can.
2. Taking shortcuts through areas where snow and ice removal is not feasible can be hazardous. Try to avoid straying from the beaten path.
• Point your feet out slightly like a penguin! Spreading your feet out slightly while walking
on ice increases your center of gravity.
• Bend slightly and walk flat-footed with your center of gravity directly over the feet as much as possible. Extend your arms out to your sides to maintain balance. If you must carry a load, try not to carry any more than 50 lbs.; leave your hands and arms free to balance yourself.
• Keep your hands out of your pockets. Hands in your pockets while walking decreases your center of gravity and balance. You can help break your fall with your hands free if you do start to slip.
• Watch where you are stepping and GO…S-L-O-W-L-Y! This will help your reaction time to changes in traction.
• When walking on steps always use the hand-railings and plant your feet firmly on each step.
• Use special care when entering and exiting vehicles; use the vehicle for support.
• Take short steps or shuffle for stability. It also helps to stop occasionally to break momentum.
Dealing with Traffic
Another hazard of walking on icy ground is dealing with poor road conditions. Keep these safety tips in mind if you’re going to be crossing the street:
• Before stepping off the curb, make sure all cars and trucks have come to a complete stop. Motorists sometimes underestimate the time it takes to stop, often unintentionally sliding into the crosswalk.
• Due to poor road conditions, motorists may not be able to stop or slow down for pedestrians. Avoid crossing in areas where driver visibility is low—the cross traffic may not be able to stop in time.
• Be on the lookout for vehicles sliding in your direction.
• Vehicles should yield to snow removal equipment in streets and parking lots.
Safety Inside
Walking over a slippery floor can be just as dangerous as walking over ice! Keep these tips in mind if you are entering a building:
• Remove as much snow and water from your boots as you can. Water from melting ice on the floor can lead to slippery conditions.
• Notice that floors and stairs may be wet and slippery—walk carefully especially by outer doors.
If You Fall
• Try to avoid landing on your knees, wrists, or spine. Try to fall on a fleshy part of your body, such as your side. Wearing thick clothing can help prevent injury to the bony parts of your body.
• Try to relax your muscles if you fall. You’ll injure yourself less if you are relaxed.
• If you fall backward, make a conscious effort to tuck your chin so your head won’t hit the ground with full force.
September 2021
With the ever-changing weather conditions while working in construction, and specifically the cold weather, comes icy conditions. Winter is upon us, so take special care with walking and working surfaces that we work around on a daily basis. Even walking to and from parking lots or between buildings at work during the winter requires special attention to avoid slipping and falling. Slips and falls are some of the most frequent types of injuries — especially during the winter months. No matter how well the snow and ice is removed from parking lots or sidewalks, pedestrians will still encounter some slippery surfaces when walking outdoors in the winter. It is important for everyone to be constantly aware of these dangers and to learn to walk safely on ice and slippery surfaces.
Wear Appropriate Clothing
• During bad weather, avoid boots or shoes with smooth soles and heels, such as plastic and leather soles. Instead, wear shoes or boots that provide traction on snow and ice; boots made of non-slip rubber or neoprene with grooved soles are best.
• Wear a heavy, bulky coat that will cushion you if you should fall.
• Wear a bright scarf or hat or reflective gear so drivers can see you.
• Keep warm, but make sure you can hear what’s going on around you.
• During the day, wear sunglasses to help you see better and avoid hazards.
• Whatever you wear, make sure it doesn’t block your vision or make it hard for you to hear traffic.
Being Safe Walking Over Ice – Walk Like a Penguin!
• In cold temperatures, approach with caution and assume that all wet, dark areas on pavements are slippery and icy. Dew or water vapor can freeze on cold surfaces, forming an extra-thin, nearly invisible layer of ice that can look like a wet spot on the pavement.
• Walk in designated walkways as much as possible. Taking shortcuts over snow piles and other frozen areas can be hazardous. Look ahead when you walk; a snow- or ice-covered sidewalk or driveway, especially if on a hill, may require travel along its grassy edge for traction.
1. If you must walk in the street, walk against the flow of traffic, as close to the curb as you can.
2. Taking shortcuts through areas where snow and ice removal is not feasible can be hazardous. Try to avoid straying from the beaten path.
• Point your feet out slightly like a penguin! Spreading your feet out slightly while walking
on ice increases your center of gravity.
• Bend slightly and walk flat-footed with your center of gravity directly over the feet as much as possible. Extend your arms out to your sides to maintain balance. If you must carry a load, try not to carry any more than 50 lbs.; leave your hands and arms free to balance yourself.
• Keep your hands out of your pockets. Hands in your pockets while walking decreases your center of gravity and balance. You can help break your fall with your hands free if you do start to slip.
• Watch where you are stepping and GO…S-L-O-W-L-Y! This will help your reaction time to changes in traction.
• When walking on steps always use the hand-railings and plant your feet firmly on each step.
• Use special care when entering and exiting vehicles; use the vehicle for support.
• Take short steps or shuffle for stability. It also helps to stop occasionally to break momentum.
Dealing with Traffic
Another hazard of walking on icy ground is dealing with poor road conditions. Keep these safety tips in mind if you’re going to be crossing the street:
• Before stepping off the curb, make sure all cars and trucks have come to a complete stop. Motorists sometimes underestimate the time it takes to stop, often unintentionally sliding into the crosswalk.
• Due to poor road conditions, motorists may not be able to stop or slow down for pedestrians. Avoid crossing in areas where driver visibility is low—the cross traffic may not be able to stop in time.
• Be on the lookout for vehicles sliding in your direction.
• Vehicles should yield to snow removal equipment in streets and parking lots.
Safety Inside
Walking over a slippery floor can be just as dangerous as walking over ice! Keep these tips in mind if you are entering a building:
• Remove as much snow and water from your boots as you can. Water from melting ice on the floor can lead to slippery conditions.
• Notice that floors and stairs may be wet and slippery—walk carefully especially by outer doors.
If You Fall
• Try to avoid landing on your knees, wrists, or spine. Try to fall on a fleshy part of your body, such as your side. Wearing thick clothing can help prevent injury to the bony parts of your body.
• Try to relax your muscles if you fall. You’ll injure yourself less if you are relaxed.
• If you fall backward, make a conscious effort to tuck your chin so your head won’t hit the ground with full force.
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INDIVIDUAL QUALITY MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
In this age of rapid change and need for efficiency, we also see an increased emphasis on quality assurance standards such as ISO (International Standardization Organization) certifications. However, the biggest factor we must consider in this age of more with less, is how we, as individuals, impact the quality process. Our honor and integrity as human beings needs to be confirmed in our work and everything we do. So, you may ask, how does this apply to safety? Our personal behavior can determine someone else's fate as well as our own. Failure to do things correctly can jeopardize the health and safety of those around us, as well as our own well being. We must beware of letting mediocrity infiltrate our methods. If our methods do not indicate our best effort, they are not good enough. What we do, how we work, and the standards we set for ourselves, make the difference between success and failure. If we accept mediocrity, we accept failure as a way of life. Consider the example of an employee at a ship building facility who, at the end of a busy day, left a hammer in the hull of the ship. Fourteen years later, the boat sprung a leak in the middle of the ocean because the hammer wore a hole in the ship's hull over time. The boat sank and lives were lost. What about the oil that was spilled on the shop floor and wasn't cleaned up right away? A fellow employee, a close friend of yours, comes by moments or hours later, doesn't see the spill, slips and falls. Now he has severe back problems that affect his future, his family, and their quality of life for generations to come. By the way, the expense of that injury also put this small business out of operation, affecting the lives of all the workers and the business owner. Each time we don't do our best, we accept mediocrity as a way of life. To help set standards of excellence in everything we do we must pay attention to detail. If we don't know the right way to do something, we must ask someone who does. If asked for help, we should take the time to demonstrate how to correctly and thoroughly complete a task. We must make an individual contribution, on a daily basis, to the quality process. When we set higher individual standards for ourselves and give our best to everything we do, it can make a difference. This helps to protect the finest quality of life this world has to offer. Why Injuries and Accidents May Occur
July 2019 Why Accidents Occur Every accident is caused by a breakdown in one of four areas:
Often there is a breakdown in at least two areas; one being the worker and the other coming from one of the three other areas. The accident’s cause usually results from an unsafe act or an unsafe condition. Today we will review some types of unsafe acts, the results from, and unsafe conditions. Guide for Discussion Types of Unsafe Acts:
Unsafe Acts Result From:
Unsafe Conditions:
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Accident or Incident Checklist
______1. A supervisor, the safety coordinator or a commission needs to be called to go to the accident scene if the accident is severe enough to need immediate medical care or especially if an ambulance is called. ______2. The first priority is to attend to the injured. Determine if the injured needs medical attention. ______3. The area should be secured and pictures should be taken of the whole scene and also the ground or floor surface. A picture of the injured with any PPE on and their footwear. Do not take a picture of the injury if it can be avoided. ______4. The witnesses should all be interviewed immediately and separately. Get a statement from each of them. ______5. A First Report will need to be filed but if the injured is not available it can be turned in without the signature initially. The injured can sign it later. Montana Law requires an employer to complete the form within six days of notice of an on-the-job injury. The Trust has thirty days to accept or deny the claim. ______6. The Accident/Incident Report should be filled out and given to the Safety Coordinator with the photos and an investigation initiated. Disclaimer for Internet and Security Policy:
isinternet_privacy_and_security_policy.pdf Protecting Workers from Heat Stress
Heat Illness Exposure to heat can cause illness and death. The most serious heat illness is heat stroke. Other heat illnesses, such as heat exhaustion, heat cramps and heat rash, should also be avoided. There are precautions that can be taken any time temperatures are high and the job involves physical work. Risk Factors for Heat Illness High temperature and humidity, direct sun exposure, no breeze or wind Heavy physical labor No recent exposure to hot workplaces Low liquid intake Waterproof clothing Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion Headache, dizziness, or fainting Weakness and wet skin Irritability or confusion Thirst, nausea, or vomiting Symptoms of Heat Stroke May be confused, unable to think clearly, pass out, collapse, or have seizures (fits) May stop sweating To Prevent Heat Illness: Establish a complete heat illness prevention program. Provide training about the hazards leading to heat stress and how to prevent them. Provide a lot of cool water to workers close to the work area. At least one pint of water per hour is needed. For more information: Occupational Safety and Health Administration www.osha.gov (800) 321-OSHA (6742) OSHA 3154-06R 2017 Jump Starting a Battery
As the cold weather starts to come upon us, many cars batteries will start to fail. When a motor vehicle battery fails, a jump start often is the best short term way to get the motor going. Because it is important that jump starting be done properly, the National Safety Council recommends the following procedure:
2. Connect the other end of the same cable to the same marked post (+) of the booster battery. 3. Connect the second, negative (-) booster cable to the other post of the booster battery. Negative is typically color coded BLACK. 4. Make the final negative (-) booster cable connection on the engine block of the stalled vehicle away from the battery.
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