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SAFETY MOMENT, JUNE 26

Compressed air is not a duster

See today's safety momentHow to give a safety moment

Safety moment, June 26

Compressed air is not a duster

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 26

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

Never blow dust off your skin or clothes with compressed air. In general industry, compressed air may be used for cleaning only when it is reduced to less than 30 p.s.i., and then only with effective chip guarding and PPE. Construction has the same rule, but the 30 p.s.i. limit does not apply to cleaning concrete forms, mill scale and similar work (29 CFR 1926.302(b)(4)). Use a brush or a vacuum instead whenever you can. (29 CFR 1910.242(b))

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

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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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