TOOL BOX SAFETY
All right, now that we are gathered around for our daily Tool Box Safety Meeting, let’s actually take a look inside the tool box to see what we might find. Is there a box of horrors waiting for us when we reach in?
Field shop boxes, mechanics’ chests in shops, the boxes on the backs of our pickup trucks, or the bucket we carry with saddle bags for our personal tools…do they contain accidents waiting to happen?
Might you find something like THIS….?
Sharp Tool Edges: Yikes–a Box Cutter with the blade open! Could be reaching in to find something in the bottom– and coming out with a badly cut hand.
Frayed Power Cords: Oops, the drill’s power cord pulled loose from the housing. In too much in a hurry to fix it– but an electrical shock might slow us down!
Scratched Safety Glasses: Someone just threw them in with all of the other stuff. The lenses are all scratched and dirty. Probably can’t see a thing with them…probably won’t wear them. Probably taking a big risk!
Dirty Respirator: Looks like this spare respirator wasn’t put in its protective container. It’s covered with some kind of white powdery stuff…stinks, and the filters are all crushed. I was going to use that today because I left mine at home. Suppose it’ll do?
Misused Tools: I see a couple of screw drivers with the handles and ends all beat up. Looks like someone has been using them as chisels. Could I remove screws with these today without busting my knuckles?
Damaged Head Protection: Several of the hard hats here have torn suspension systems, and one that is slightly cracked. Who wants to use these today? Someone with a really hard head?
Ruined Footwear: Yesterday I was in a hurry and I just threw my rubber boots in the box. Someone else threw a bunch of sharp stuff on top of them and they are all cut up..
Sharp Wire, Rusty Nails, Cracked Tools….? Are any of these in your tool box???
IF WE CHOOSE to use a broken tool, or piece of safety equipment that doesn’t provide adequate protection – WE might not be at work tomorrow.
WE might be convalescing at home or in the hospital. Or worse yet, WE may contribute to the injury of one of our fellow workers. Do WE want to carry that burden today?
WHY NOT CLEAN IT UP? If you find that the box is a mess, the tools are in terrible shape, or “I wouldn’t wear that,” then take a few moments and get things right.
Red tag defective tools or turn them in for repair to your supervisor.
Replace broken or unusable safety equipment. Make your tool box a SAFE one. Let it reflect that Professional Attitude you take pride in.
Take a few minutes at the beginning of work today and look closely at the tool box where you keep your professional equipment.
What condition is it in? Do WE feel SAFE and COMFORTABLE using all of the stuff in here? Put everything in its PROPER place. Each of us looks at ourselves as professionals.
We take pride in the work we do. When we don’t take care of the equipment we have to work with on a daily basis, our effectiveness will be reduced significantly.
Nothing diminishes anxiety faster than action. ~ Walter Anderson
Thanks, TO
