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SAFETY MOMENT, DECEMBER 1

Clear scaffolds, stairs and ladders first

Safety moment, December 1

Clear scaffolds, stairs and ladders first

Winter changes the job overnight. Walkways ice over, days get shorter, roads get slick and heaters move into closed spaces. None of these hazards are new, but they pile up at the same time and change from one morning to the next. A few minutes of planning at the start of each shift keeps small surprises from turning into injuries.

SAFETY MOMENT

December 1

The hazard

Winter changes the job overnight. Walkways ice over, days get shorter, roads get slick and heaters move into closed spaces. None of these hazards are new, but they pile up at the same time and change from one morning to the next. A few minutes of planning at the start of each shift keeps small surprises from turning into injuries.

The action

Do not work on a scaffold covered with snow, ice or other slippery material, except to clear it off (29 CFR 1926.451(f)(8)). Clear stairs, platforms and ladder rungs before anyone climbs. Knock the snow off your boots first and keep a firm grip. (29 CFR 1926.451(f)(8))

ASK THE CREW

Which heaters are we running, and how do those areas get fresh air?

From the talk: Winter safety. 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.

  • 365 safety moments, one per day
  • Dated PDF calendar, a page a day
  • PowerPoint with one slide per moment
  • English and Spanish
  • Each moment links back to its cited toolbox talk

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Free 52-week toolbox talk calendar (PDF)