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SAFETY MOMENT, AUGUST 5

Do not twist, and set it down with care

Safety moment, August 5

Do not twist, and set it down with care

We lift, carry, push and pull materials by hand all day. One bad lift can strain your back, and a dropped load can crush fingers or toes. Even light loads add up when you move them all shift with poor technique. Planning the move takes a moment and can save you a lot of pain.

SAFETY MOMENT

August 5

The hazard

We lift, carry, push and pull materials by hand all day. One bad lift can strain your back, and a dropped load can crush fingers or toes. Even light loads add up when you move them all shift with poor technique. Planning the move takes a moment and can save you a lot of pain.

The action

Turn by moving your feet, not by twisting your back. If the load blocks your view, get help or use equipment. Set the load down the way you picked it up, bending your knees and keeping your fingers clear. If you feel a pull or pain, stop and tell your supervisor.

ASK THE CREW

Which stacks or storage areas here need fixing before someone pulls from them?

From the talk: Safe lifting and manual handling. 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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  • English and Spanish
  • Each moment links back to its cited toolbox talk

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Free 52-week toolbox talk calendar (PDF)