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SAFETY MOMENT, SEPTEMBER 24

Check it before you count on it

See today's safety momentHow to give a safety moment

Safety moment, September 24

Check it before you count on it

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 24

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, portable extinguishers must be visually inspected monthly. When you walk past one, check that it is in its spot and not blocked, the pin and seal are in place, the gauge needle is in the green if it has a gauge, and the hose and body are not damaged. If anything looks wrong, report it right away so it can be replaced. (29 CFR 1910.157(e)(2))

ASK THE CREW

Where are the two closest extinguishers to where you are working today, and what classes are they rated for?

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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