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SAFETY MOMENT, FEBRUARY 15

Clean as you go

Safety moment, February 15

Clean as you go

A messy work area leads to slips, trips, cuts, falling objects and fires. Clutter can also block an exit or an extinguisher right when you need it. A mess that looks minor can have serious consequences, so good housekeeping is part of the job, not a once-a-week cleanup.

SAFETY MOMENT

February 15

The hazard

A messy work area leads to slips, trips, cuts, falling objects and fires. Clutter can also block an exit or an extinguisher right when you need it. A mess that looks minor can have serious consequences, so good housekeeping is part of the job, not a once-a-week cleanup.

The action

During construction, scrap lumber with protruding nails and all other debris must be kept cleared from work areas, passageways and stairs. Pick up as you work, not just at the end of the day. Pull or bend over nails in scrap boards before you stack them. (29 CFR 1926.25(a))

ASK THE CREW

Which areas on our job get messy fastest, and why?

Takeaway: Clean as you go, keep walkways and exits clear, and put waste where it belongs, every task and every day.

From the talk: Housekeeping. Read it in full, free, with the questions and the sign-in sheet.

HOW TO USE IT

How to give a safety moment

  1. Gather the crew where they work, before the shift or the meeting starts. Read the hazard out loud.
  2. Ask the question and let two or three people answer. What they say about their own work counts for more than what you read.
  3. Name the action and point to one place on today's job where it applies, so everyone knows what to do differently.
  4. Write the date and the names on a sign-in sheet.

A safety moment is short and does not replace the full talk. When you want to go through a topic with the crew, pick a free toolbox talk.

PRINT AND EDIT

365 safety moments, $29

One moment for every day of the year in the same format as this one: the hazard, the action, the question and the source talk with its citation. Print a page a day or show a slide.

  • 365 safety moments, one per day
  • Dated PDF calendar, a page a day
  • PowerPoint with one slide per moment
  • English and Spanish
  • Each moment links back to its cited toolbox talk

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Free 52-week toolbox talk calendar (PDF)