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SAFETY MOMENT, JUNE 22

Use the right hand tool, and keep it in shape

See today's safety momentHow to give a safety moment

Safety moment, June 22

Use the right hand tool, and keep it in shape

Tools are in our hands all day, so it is easy to stop thinking about them. A cracked handle, a missing guard or a damaged cord can lead to cuts, eye injuries, burns or shocks in a split second. A quick check before you start catches these problems before they hurt someone.

SAFETY MOMENT

June 22

The hazard

Tools are in our hands all day, so it is easy to stop thinking about them. A cracked handle, a missing guard or a damaged cord can lead to cuts, eye injuries, burns or shocks in a split second. A quick check before you start catches these problems before they hurt someone.

The action

Use the right tool for the job. A screwdriver is not a pry bar and a wrench is not a hammer. Impact tools like chisels, wedges and drift pins must be kept free of mushroomed heads, which can throw chips when struck. Store tools clean and dry, with sharp edges covered. (29 CFR 1926.301(c))

ASK THE CREW

Where do we tag out and turn in a damaged tool, and who replaces it?

From the talk: Hand and power tools. 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)