Hard Hats - On the Job Tool Box Talks

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Every year, thousand of construction workers suffer head injuries ranging from minor cuts to concussions to even death.  Most of these types of injures would have been prevented had employees worn the proper head protection consisting of a hard hat.  The following are safety rules to follow for hard hat usage:
•    Hard hats are required to be worn AT ALL TIMES. 
•    Head injuries on a construction site may result from several areas
•    Tools or material being dropped from above
•    Low overhead clearance
•    Hard Hats should not be altered or have any holes drilled or cut into them for ventilation
•    Hard hats should be fitted tightly on your head.  Wearing a baseball cap underneath a hard hat will cause the hard hat not to fit snug on your head, thus reducing it’s effectiveness
•    The suspension system of the hard hat absorbs the impact of a falling object. 
 
Inspect your hard hat for any damage.  Never use a hard hat that has visible damage to the outer shell or to the suspension.
 
The following excuses are not acceptable reasons for not wearing your HARD HAT:
“It keep’s falling off”  - adjust the suspension to fit snuggly and this wont happen. 
“I get a headache from wearing it”  - You’ll have a REAL BIG HEADACHE that may last for days if a falling object lands on your head!!!
“There’s nothing above be but the sky” – True, but at some point you may have to be in an area in which there is overhead work.  Having it on your head at all times will eliminate your forgetting to go and grab your Hard Hat.


This information is provided by: Assurance Agency

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Residential Home Builders Alliance

A new association serving the residential construction community.

We are dedicated to fostering business growth and strengthening the commitment to professional development, mentoring and education.

Our strength lies in the energy, talents, collaboration and participation of our diverse members. Members range from large organizations to a one-person business and everything in-between. RHBA offers the resources and support to help each of those members compete and prosper in today’s environment.

It accomplishes its mission through networking, educational seminars, special events, and governmental awareness in the home building industry.  Learn More

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Annual Economic Conference

Thursday, September 24th
Maggiano’s Oakbrook
240 Oakbrook Center
Oakbrook, IL 60523

$35 for Members
$45 for Non-Members
Download more information & Registration Form

Register and Pay Online

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
7:30am - 8:30am
Registration / Breakfast

8:30am - 9:30am
William Strauss,
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

9:30am - 10:30am
Chris Huecksteadt,
Metrostudy 

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Personal Protective Equipment

Download the RMA Sign In Sheet. DOC Format

Download the RMA Sign In Sheet. PDF Format
 

WHEN USED PROPERLY, suitable protective equipment can prevent many serious injuries in construction work. 

Eyes are extremely delicate.  Eyesight can be permanently impaired or even completely lost if flying chips of steel or fragments of concrete strike your eyes.  When cutting concrete, wear goggles or a face shield.  When drilling overhead or when dust is present, suitable goggles are required.  When working around concrete vibrators, safety goggles or a face shield will prevent most splashes from reaching your eyes.  When drilling or cutting pressure-treated or preserved lumber, creosote timbers or any lumber, always wear eye protection.  If glasses are worn with corrective lenses, goggles may be needed to be worn over glasses for additional protection from damage or breakage. 

Now, let us consider nose and throat protection.  To prevent nose and throat irritation when working in dusty conditions, wear appropriate respiratory protection.  The type of work being done will determine the type of respiratory protection needed. 

Falls can be prevented if employees properly use approved safety harnesses and life lines.  Use a safety harness and lanyard to limit the fall distance to 6 feet.  They only work, when use correctly.  Contact your supervisor for the proper use of this equipment. 

PREVENT INJURIES BY WEARING THE APPROPRIATE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency

Fire Extinguishers TBT

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Download the RMA Sign In Sheet. PDF Format

 

Overview

Your employer is responsible for providing portable fire extinguishers appropriate for the type and class of fire hazards associated with a particular workplace. Fire extinguishers must be mounted in convenient locations, and marked with signs to identify where they are located.

The selection and distribution of fire extinguishers must reflect the type and class of fire hazards associated with the workplace.

·             Class A fires involve ordinary combustible materials such as paper, wood, cloth, and some rubber and plastic materials. Extinguisher appropriate for Class A fires include water, foam, loaded stream, or multipurpose dry chemical.

·             Class B fires involve flammable or combustible liquids, flammable gases, greases, and other similar materials, and some rubber and plastic materials. Extinguisher appropri­ate for Class B fires include Halon 1301, Halon 1211, carbon dioxide, dry chemicals, foam, or loaded stream.

·             Class C fires involve energized electrical equipment. Extinguisher appropriate for Class C fires include Halon 1301, Halon 1211, carbon dioxide, or multipurpose dry chemical.

·             Class D fires involve combustible metals such as magnesium, titanium, zirconium, sodium, lithium, and potassium. Combustible metals must be extinguished using dry powders specifically designed for use on that metal.

What must my employer do?

Your employer will:

·             Explain the types of fire hazards you could face in the facility and in your work area.

·             Explain what is expected of the employees during a fire emergency.

·             Review the location and use of various portable fire extinguishers, if you are expected to use them to fight fires.

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency

Incident Reporting

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View the full article.

The health and safety of our employees is a top priority.  It is everyone’s responsibility to help prevent injuries and report all incidents immediately so that the same thing does not happen again. 

When an incident does occur, you must report it to your foreman immediately and no later than the end of the work day.  An employee statement form must be filled out so that the details of the incident can be investigated. It is important to learn what actions must be taken to prevent the accident from happening again.  Your foreman has all the necessary forms for conducting an investigation.  This process is not to place blame on the employee or foreman.  It is to find the “root” cause of the incident.

No matter how small the incident may seem, it should be reported to your foreman.  Your foreman will decide what to do next.

 Let’s discuss a few scenarios:

1.      While setting up a ladder, a slight pain is felt in your shoulder.  You work the rest of the day however it doesn’t hurt too bad.  Should you report this or wait until tomorrow to see if it still hurts?

2.      You cut your finger on a utility knife and there is some blood that requires a band aid.  Should you report this?

3.      You trip over a pile of wood and hit your elbow on the ground but do not feel any pain.  Should you report this?

The following items should always be immediately reported to your foreman:

1.      An injury to any employee, subcontractor, client representative, or private citizen, even if the injury does not require medical attention.

2.      An injury to a member of the public occurring on a work site possibly resulting from our activity or involving property, equipment, or resource

3.      Illness resulting from suspected chemical exposure

4.      Chronic or re-occurring conditions such as back pain or cumulative trauma disorders

5.      Fire or explosion

6.      Any vehicle accidents occurring on site, while traveling to or from client locations, or with any company-owned or leased vehicle

7.      Property damage resulting from any activity

8.      Structural collapse or potential structural hazards

9.      Unexpected release or imminent release of a hazardous material

10.   Unexpected chemical exposures to workers or the public

11.   A safety related complaint from the public regarding our activities

12.   Any other significant occurrence that could impact safety - WHEN IN DOUBT, REPORT IT!

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency