Alcohol and its effects

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The purpose of this toolbox talk is to provide some basic information and to increase the level of awareness to focus on this as a potential safety issue on the job. This will primarily address issues of “the morning after” affect.

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL:

This information briefly summarizes some of the some of the effects of a person that is hung over. Direct effects of alcohol vary with the individuals. In general, a person will excrete approximately one alcohol drink per hour.

Consider the following:

An employee is out until 1:00 a.m. and has consumed 12 or more beers. They show upto work at 7:00 a.m. This employee is likely to have at least six alcohol drinks in his system at the time of starting the work. At this rate, the employee will start work intoxicated, eventually drift into a hangover and will probably be working in a very dangerous state during most of the workday.

ISSUES OF A HANGOVER

All employees should be aware of the condition their crew reports to work in. Specifically, employees that start work and are hung over from use of alcohol or drugs from the night before should be watched very closely. The following are some points to consider:

• A person with a hangover may have lower levels of alcohol in their system and may be “legally sober”.

• Any levels of alcohol in the system can affect the central nervous system, which will affect
JUDGMENT and MOTOR SKILLS. (Judgment and Motor Skills are critical components of working safely on a construction site.

HANGOVER EFFECTS

Employees that are hung over are impaired from low sugar levels, dehydration and may still be legally intoxicated.

Symptoms / Effects:

• Impaired judgment

• Decreased motor skills

• Potential for dizzy spells, etc.

Employees no longer under the influence of alcohol but still feeling hung over still have an effect:

Symptoms / Effects:

• Impaired judgment

• Decreased motor skills

• Dizziness

• Increased potential to lose consciousness

Bottom Line:

Employees that come to work with a hangover may become injured or injure  others and should be asked to stop work and possibly sent home. Keep a close eye on your crew.

Production is important, but employees that are under the effect of alcohol or hangovers are a serious safety issue that may wind up a tragedy.

This information provided by: Assurance Agency

Driving in Snow and Ice

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The best advice for driving in bad winter weather is not to drive at all, if you can avoid it.

Don't go out until the snow plows and sanding trucks have had a chance to do their work, and allow yourself extra time to reach your destination.

If you must drive in snowy conditions, make sure your car is prepared and that you know how to handle road conditions.

It's helpful to practice winter driving techniques in a snowy, open parking lot so you're familiar with how your car handles. Consult your owner's manual for tips specific to your vehicle.

Driving safely on icy roads
1. Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
2. Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
3. Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.
4. Keep your lights and windshield clean.
5. Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
6. Don't use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.
7. Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
8. Don't pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you're likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
9. Don't assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.

If your rear wheels skid...
1. Take your foot off the accelerator.
2. Steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go. If your rear wheels are sliding left, steer left. If they're sliding right, steer right.
3. If your rear wheels start sliding the other way as you recover, ease the steering wheel toward that side. You might have to steer left and right a few times to get your vehicle completely under control.
4. If you have standard brakes, pump them gently.

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency

Housekeeping - On the Job Tool Box Talks

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Maintaining good housekeeping is an important part of the overall job of supervision. There are a number of advantages to having a clean and orderly plant, including: avoidance of accidents, better fire prevention, improved health of employees, and increased worker efficiency and morale.

Avoidance of accidents is one of the major goals of any company. That occasional piece of scrap or wet spot on the floor can cause slip, trip, and fall hazards. Cluttered aisles and congested work areas can add to the dangers. A thorough, regular, and successful program of good housekeeping that eliminates hazards makes good sense for everyone.

Housekeeping can appear to be a never-ending and thankless job, but if too much dirt, debris, and disorder are allowed to accumulate, this can eventually lead to production problems caused by increased accidents, absenteeism, and turnover. Typically, you will find that places that have good housekeeping will have competent foremen and a low accident rate.
People don’t really enjoy working in areas that are disorderly and crowded with booby traps. They don’t want to continuously climb over excessive accumulations of spilled material, be hit by objects falling from above, or scrape up against poorly placed materials.

Keeping everything in order will prevent these incidents from occurring.
A responsible foreman and responsible employees know that good housekeeping cannot be maintained simply by an occasional large cleanup. It must be planned on a regular basis. It should also be a part of everyone’s daily routine.

Here are some real life examples of what did happen because of bad housekeeping:
• A plumber fractured his ankle after he slipped on some pipe while attempting to get to his crowded work area/.
• A carpenter slipped on a wet floor and sprained his back.
• An electrician stepped on a tool while climbing down a ladder and sprained his ankle.
All of these accidents could have been prevented through better housekeeping. With good housekeeping, you can reduce operating costs, increase production, and prevent injuries. Good housekeeping is just good business.

Checklist for Housekeeping
• Is your workplace neat and orderly?
• Have you emphasized the importance of housekeeping to your workers on a regular basis?
• Do your employees know that housekeeping is everyone’s responsibility?
• Are spills and slippery spots cleaned up immediately?
• Are employees provided with adequate storage areas to put tools and other work items away?

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency

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Winter Weather Safety - On the job Tool Box Safety Talks

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During winter weather conditions, extra caution is needed.  Most people are aware of this situation, but there is always a higher level of automobile accidents during the first few snows of the year.  This is because people are notorious for forgetting basic lessons on safety.  Keeping this fact in mind, consider the following reminders that will reduce the potential for injuries:

Footwear

Traction is key.  Work boots need to provide ankle support and traction.  Rubber goulashes are often a good bet to wear over your work boots to maintain the necessary traction and keep your feet dry. 

Slips and Falls

Keep work areas clear.  Access paths to buildings should be maintained at least three feet wide and should not have accumulations of ice or other slippery conditions.  Clean up every day to avoid hidden trip hazards underneath snow.  Remember that stairs must remain clean and clear of snow and ice if they are to be used. 

CAZ Work

·        Top plate must be clean and clear before walked on.

·        No roof level work if the sheathing is snow or ice covered.

·        Snow removal from roof level requires use of fall protection in the form of full body harness.

·        New roof sheathing must be nailed off the same day it is installed to avoid the need to return to that surface the next day.

Ladders

·        Securing the bottom of ladders is key to avoid kick-out due to slippery conditions.

·        No leaning of step ladders on flat slippery surfaces.

·        Secure top of ladder while against Tyvek for setting windows, exterior trim, etc.  This material is extremely slippery especially in cold wet conditions.

Driving

·        Apply safe driving principles to your workday.

·        Snowy weather requires additional awareness & caution Look ahead further, and anticipate possible accidents.

·        When driving, move deliberately and steadily. 

·        Stopping distances should be quadrupled when snow is on the ground. Other

·        Wearing additional bulky clothing greatly reduces how agile you can be.  This is an important fact to keep in mind when you are climbing ladders, through trusses, etc. 

This information is provided by Assurance Agency

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Scaffolding - On the job tool box talks

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You should know that over one-third of the serious injuries to workers in the building trades are caused by falls from one level to another. These accidents usually occur because someone is working or standing on an unsafe surface (a makeshift scaffold) or using a scaffold incorrectly or working on one that hasn’t been put up properly. They may seem safe but they can be very dangerous. Makeshift scaffolds should not be used and are made of such things as:

• concrete blocks
• boxes
• buckets
• piles of scrap material
• poorly supported wooden planks
• machinery

Take the time to build a safe scaffold. We are not in such a hurry that we are willing to sacrifice safety. There are a couple kinds of scaffolds that are acceptable if built right. Some examples of scaffolds and things to remember when erecting them are:

Rolling Scaffold

• They should only be used on a level surface.
• The height should not exceed 4 times the minimum base dimension, unless guyed or equipped with outriggers.
• Decking should be full width and secured against displacement.
• They should have guardrails, midrails and toe boards.
• All casters should be locked except when the scaffold is being moved.
• No one should be on it while it is being moved.

Tubular Metal Scaffold

• Should be tied to and braced against the structure at intervals not to exceed 30 feet horizontally and 26 feet vertically.
• They should have guardrails, midrails and toe boards.
• Screwjacks should be adjusted to plumb and level the scaffold.
• All crossbracing should be installed.
• Mudsills should be used on soft ground.
• Planks should be lapped not less than 12” nor more than 18”.
• Ice or snow should be cleaned off before it is used.
• Safe means of access should be provided – Climbing crossbracing is prohibited.   
• This information is provided by: Assurance Agency