SAFETY MOMENT, JUNE 24

Respect the cord and the plug

See today's safety moment How to give a safety moment

Safety moment, June 24

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 24

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

Electric power tools must be double-insulated or grounded. Check cords for cuts and plugs for damage, and never use a grounded plug with the ground pin cut off. Never carry, hoist or lower a tool by its cord, and unplug it before changing blades, bits or accessories. (29 CFR 1926.302(a)(1))

ASK THE CREW

Are there personal tools on site that nobody has checked?

Takeaway: If a tool is damaged or missing a guard, it does not get used until it is fixed or replaced.

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

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

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