Hey guys and gals, just wanted to touch on the subject of jobsite safety for a moment. It's a big deal these days, I think mostly to keep workers comp rates down, and also because there are fewer and fewer skilled laborers available. I took OSHA 30 last year, and it was more interesting than I expected it to be. Lots of reasons why regulations exist, and also, lots of genuine information about staying safe. At the company where I work, things really hit the fan last year, with two guys burned, and some back and ankle injuries. More recently some portable band saw injuries.
I've had to do some soul-searching to see what I really think of all this. Unfortunately, there are currently too many rules and regulations for anyone to really follow. I think that the spirit is often lost in the letter. I'm nearing 60 years old, and I still have all of my fingers, and both eyes, due to a combination of being careful and being lucky. Having had some minor (but painful) accidents, I understand that jobsite safety (and workshop safety and so on) is vitally important. However, one needs to understand what is important, and what is just rules for the sake of rules.
For instance, on the jobsite, we must wear hard hats, boots, long pants, reflective vests, and gloves. So far, so good. Also, every employer must provide adequate drinking water. Also good. Most large general contractors now require every sub to submit a daily safety plan, detailing what work is to be done, and what safety measures are to be taken. This I have mixed emotions about. If it's taken seriously, and people really do try to plan ahead and make sure safety precautions are in place, it's a good thing. If it's just another piece of paper to fill out, and there are many, then it's ineffective.
Regarding the aforementioned soul-searching, what I've come up with is this: everyone must take responsibility for their own safety. If an unsafe situation exists, YOU must be the one who refuses to work in those conditions. If you think something is going to collapse, YOU get out from under it, whether everyone says it's safe or not. If some of the guys aren't wearing safety glasses, wear yours. They're your eyes. If someone is using a chemical that is making you dizzy, YOU leave the area and get the SDS from the contractor that's using it, or from the general contractor. By doing these things, you help to insure the safety of others, for example, if the SDS says the chemical is dangerous if inhaled, then everyone else must clear the area, and the people using it must use proper ventilation or breathing equipment.
In the current environment, the successful crane company is the one who can submit all required insurance, weight ratings, and engineering reports to the contractor. The successful subcontractor is the one who can submit a current safety plan, and verify that proper safety equipment is available and ready for use.
As a foreman, I'm called upon to do "tailgate" safety meetings from time to time. What I try to impress on my guys is that if there are bee-ess rules (and there are), you have to live with it. You are the person who is responsible for getting yourself home in one piece. Just because someone may make a stupid rule, don't ignore the idea of doing a job safely. One of my nephews nearly cut his left thumb off with a circular saw when it kicked back. Without having seen the accident, I can tell you that if his left hand hadn't been behind that saw, he could have saved himself a lot of grief. Fortunately, now that he's had several surgeries and physical therapy, he's pretty much OK. This is why you learn the rules for safely handling a circular saw, and follow them.
I've had to do some soul-searching to see what I really think of all this. Unfortunately, there are currently too many rules and regulations for anyone to really follow. I think that the spirit is often lost in the letter. I'm nearing 60 years old, and I still have all of my fingers, and both eyes, due to a combination of being careful and being lucky. Having had some minor (but painful) accidents, I understand that jobsite safety (and workshop safety and so on) is vitally important. However, one needs to understand what is important, and what is just rules for the sake of rules.
For instance, on the jobsite, we must wear hard hats, boots, long pants, reflective vests, and gloves. So far, so good. Also, every employer must provide adequate drinking water. Also good. Most large general contractors now require every sub to submit a daily safety plan, detailing what work is to be done, and what safety measures are to be taken. This I have mixed emotions about. If it's taken seriously, and people really do try to plan ahead and make sure safety precautions are in place, it's a good thing. If it's just another piece of paper to fill out, and there are many, then it's ineffective.
Regarding the aforementioned soul-searching, what I've come up with is this: everyone must take responsibility for their own safety. If an unsafe situation exists, YOU must be the one who refuses to work in those conditions. If you think something is going to collapse, YOU get out from under it, whether everyone says it's safe or not. If some of the guys aren't wearing safety glasses, wear yours. They're your eyes. If someone is using a chemical that is making you dizzy, YOU leave the area and get the SDS from the contractor that's using it, or from the general contractor. By doing these things, you help to insure the safety of others, for example, if the SDS says the chemical is dangerous if inhaled, then everyone else must clear the area, and the people using it must use proper ventilation or breathing equipment.
In the current environment, the successful crane company is the one who can submit all required insurance, weight ratings, and engineering reports to the contractor. The successful subcontractor is the one who can submit a current safety plan, and verify that proper safety equipment is available and ready for use.
As a foreman, I'm called upon to do "tailgate" safety meetings from time to time. What I try to impress on my guys is that if there are bee-ess rules (and there are), you have to live with it. You are the person who is responsible for getting yourself home in one piece. Just because someone may make a stupid rule, don't ignore the idea of doing a job safely. One of my nephews nearly cut his left thumb off with a circular saw when it kicked back. Without having seen the accident, I can tell you that if his left hand hadn't been behind that saw, he could have saved himself a lot of grief. Fortunately, now that he's had several surgeries and physical therapy, he's pretty much OK. This is why you learn the rules for safely handling a circular saw, and follow them.