Tool Box Talk: PPE, Lessons to be Learned the Hard Way

This is an expansion of  a previous advice relating to the incident in this text:

On January 11, 2012 at approximately 3:15 p.m., a long term scaffolding company’s auto-mechanic was working on the braking system of one of their vehicles. He was removing a metal bearing from the brake assembly. He had the piece in the bench mounted vice and was cutting the bearing with an electric grinder and breaking the bearing with a hammer.

He was wearing goggles and gloves.

He removed his goggles to answer his mobile phone and then continued to work on the bearing without replacing his eye protection.

While hammering the bearing to complete the break, a piece of metal flew and hit his eye. The auto-mechanic reported to the medical centre and was immediately sent to the eye specialist unit in the regional hospital where he has later received surgery.

“Intrusions, breaks, distractions, and discrepancies-have different causes and consequences, we delineate the  principle features of each and specify when each kind of interruption is likely to have positive or negative consequences for the person being interrupted.” Excerpt from a research paper by QUINTUS R. JETT, JENNIFER  M. GEORGE; Rice University

LESSONS

• We must avoid using cell phone while carrying out tasks and if we must use the phone especially in an emergency, we must move away from the immediate work area and do so.
• This will reduce the risk of resuming a job while being distracted or not being adequately prepared.
• We must not use cell phones while doing tasks that require high levels of concentration such as use of precision tools, use of sharp tools, exposure to flying material, working with electrical and high pressure systems, operating mobile equipment, etc.
• Any thing can distract us at work if we allow it to. We must be mindful of these factors and ensure that we apply all safeguards.
• Before we use any tool and equipment that can cause injury, we must ensure that we utilize all appropriate protective equipment.
• The eye is one of the most delicate and essential part of the body and we must practice safe work habits to preserve it.
• We must always use face shield in addition to monogoggles when using grinders or any other similar device that may cause material to fragment and become projectiles.
• We must learn from others’ mistakes.

“Mistakes are a great educator when one is honest enough to admit them and willing to learn from them” -Unknown

Thanks for the share, TO!