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SAFETY MOMENT, MAY 21

Only drink water you know is safe

Safety moment, May 21

Only drink water you know is safe

Your body loses water all day through sweat and breathing, even when you do not notice it. When you fall behind, you get tired, dizzy and slow, and a tired, dizzy worker is more likely to slip, fall or make a mistake with a tool. In hot weather, dehydration also raises the risk of serious heat illness.

SAFETY MOMENT

May 21

The hazard

Your body loses water all day through sweat and breathing, even when you do not notice it. When you fall behind, you get tired, dizzy and slow, and a tired, dizzy worker is more likely to slip, fall or make a mistake with a tool. In hot weather, dehydration also raises the risk of serious heat illness.

The action

Nonpotable water, such as water for industrial or firefighting use, is not safe to drink, and its outlets must be marked with signs saying so. Do not drink from hoses, tanks or taps unless you know the water is potable. Never eat or drink in areas exposed to toxic materials. (29 CFR 1926.51(b)(1))

ASK THE CREW

Where is the closest drinking water to where we are working today?

From the talk: Hydration. 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.

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  • Each moment links back to its cited toolbox talk

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