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SAFETY MOMENT, SEPTEMBER 21

Match the extinguisher to the fire

See today's safety momentHow to give a safety moment

Safety moment, September 21

Match the extinguisher to the fire

A fire extinguisher can stop a small fire before it spreads, but only if it is close by, charged and the right type for the fire. Fires grow fast, and smoke can fill a room before you know it. Knowing when to fight a fire and when to get out matters as much as knowing how to pull the pin.

SAFETY MOMENT

September 21

The hazard

A fire extinguisher can stop a small fire before it spreads, but only if it is close by, charged and the right type for the fire. Fires grow fast, and smoke can fill a room before you know it. Knowing when to fight a fire and when to get out matters as much as knowing how to pull the pin.

The action

In general industry, extinguishers must be chosen for the kinds of fires the workplace can expect. The label tells you the class: A for wood, paper and cloth, B for flammable liquids, gases and grease, C for live electrical equipment and D for burning metals. An extinguisher marked ABC works on the first three, and water should never go on a fuel, grease or electrical fire. (29 CFR 1910.157(d)(1))

ASK THE CREW

What kinds of fires could start in our work area, and do our extinguishers match them?

From the talk: Fire extinguishers. 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.

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