Our appreciation of risks sometimes is subjective based on our perception of risk.  We sometimes associate risk only with complicated tasks or tasks that have significant hazards.  This usually causes us to assume a false sense of security and do not take adequate or any precautions to ensure our safety.  The fact of the matter; however, is that all tasks have risks based on some hazard...

A near miss in the workplace is a warning or an indication that something is wrong.  Perhaps a machine isn’t operating correctly, or materials aren’t stacked properly, or someone has acted in an unsafe way.  Close calls or near misses on the job should also be converted into safety precautions.  Let’s consider some typical accidents that could have been avoided if the...

Why consider falls from heights? Falls from height are responsible for many serious and fatal injuries every year. If a person falls from a height above two metres the likelihood is that they will sustain serious injury.  In the 2009 3rd quarter Quarterly Report, the International Aluminium Institute reported that an employee of a particularly refinery died after falling from a height of 2 metres....

In our busy lives, we are often faced with time-management choices.  When given the chance, we must always choose safety over time savings, because rushing causes us to lose focus, skip steps and make bad decisions.  In fact, the time we spend staying safe is time well spent.  In this publication we will learn the very real hazards associated with rushing and being in a hurry.Through...

Have you ever made a decision to break a safety rule? How long did it take for you to reach that decision?  What did you gain by taking a chance? It only takes a moment to decide to break a safety rule, yet that one moment could change your life forever.  Today’s publication offers you an opportunity to think about your personal safety behavior, both on and off the job.  We’ll...

Warnings and thinking ahead are important means for accident prevention. They often reveal hidden hazards or issues so that the user can avoid injury.Good pre-job planning, effective job briefings, and looking out for yourself and each other are effective ways to prevent accidents and help ensure you go home safe and sound at the end of each work period. There is no “Silver Bullet” to ensuring your...

We all take things for granted. Basic things, simple things. It’s normal, isn’t it?  We live in a routine, for the most part, and the more routine, the more dependable the thing is, the more you stop noticing it.  For instance, you don’t really notice each time you take a breath, do you?  You don’t notice the pavement you walk on, unless you trip because something...

Every driver should have the goal to be as safe as possible on the road.  The 2 most important habits that will prevent collisions are diligent observation and keeping space around your vehicle.  A driver’s eyes should not be fixed on one point for more than 2 seconds, and even less at higher speeds.A little head movement while looking around will allow a person to see around the blind spot...

Cell phones can be a great convenience and a great tool . . . however their use at inappropriate times and inappropriate places can certainly be risky.The following two accounts are case studies that have been used to examine the effect of distraction caused by cell phone use.  Of course in both cases the effect is death! In British Columbia Canada a new road was being preloaded with sand and...

Recently David L. Walline, CSP, of Owens Corning Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, wrote an article titled, “What Injury-Free Workers Can Teach Us”.Within that article he highlighted 10 Key Attributes of Injury-Free Workers. He noted that as his injury-free network grew, some uncommon attributes came to the surface associated with many of the personalities of injury-free workers. He pointed out that...

The “unexpected” can, and does confront nearly every driver at one time or another.  Our only recourse is to think through possible unexpected situations that might arise and to plan a positive reaction ahead of time.  Usually, the unexpected situation that confronts you is going to be the result of a bad move on the part of some other motorist.  For instance, the other person...

During scaffolding activities the head of a hammer came off and fell 15 meters to the ground, landing between two workers.  Basic causes included: Head came off hammer. The hammer was worn and the shaft had previously been refitted to the head. No overhead protection for people working below. No policy for managing hand tools. BROKEN ARM FROM FALLING OBJECTA worker suffered a broken arm when he...