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SAFETY MOMENT, SEPTEMBER 26

Know where the nearest one is

Safety moment, September 26

Know where the nearest one is

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 26

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

Before you start work, find the closest extinguisher and the closest way out. On construction sites, access to all firefighting equipment must be kept open at all times. Never stack material, park a cart or hang gear in front of an extinguisher, even for a few minutes. (29 CFR 1926.150(a)(2))

ASK THE CREW

Who checks our extinguishers, and what do you do if you find one that is empty, damaged or blocked?

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.

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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