Your daily work is hazardous and unpredictable, making the chance for accidents high. Focusing on safe practices and taking necessary precautions can avoid on-the-job accidents.
Be Aware of Safety Hazards
Most accidents are caused by an unsafe act, an unsafe working condition or a combination of the two. In either instance, following proper safety precautions before using the equipment in question could have prevented the accident.
It’s important to understand what causes accidents so that you can avoid them whenever possible because your job has such a high potential for danger. While it is impossible to list all of the hazards you may encounter while working, common ones include:
- Using defective equipment
- Not using proper personal protective equipment
- Removing guards from machinery
- Not securing loads properly
- Using tools improperly
- Unsafe handling of materials
- Horseplay
Additionally, operating and working around large machinery can be extremely hazardous for all on the job site. It’s essential that you are well trained for any equipment you operate, that you observe all safety precautions and that you are constantly aware of any equipment operating near you.
Keep Alert
Always observe proper safety precautions, even if those precautions make the task more inconvenient or take longer to complete. Cutting corners may not seem like a big deal, but doing so is a primary cause of accidents.
Because someone was not paying attention to their surroundings, be on the lookout throughout your day for situations that could be hazardous– many accidents happen simply. Keep an eye on your working environment at all times. You may spot an unsafe condition that can be fixed before it causes an accident.
Keep Good Safety Habits
It’s human nature to work yourself into habits, and when you break safety protocol, you’ve taken the first and most influential step in forming a bad habit– a habit that can lead to an injury. Good habits, such as noticing unsafe conditions, using machinery and tools correctly, wearing proper personal protective equipment and observing safety precautions are just as easy to form.
Develop a safe attitude! This is probably one of the most difficult things to face because most of us have the mistaken notion that it’s always someone else who gets hurt, never us. Everyone will benefit if we all do our share in observing safety rules and staying alert for unsafe conditions.
Adam B. Maas
Commercial Risk Manager
Adam joined The Larkin Group in 2012. Adam grew up in the Electrical Utility industry, and worked for a Hydro Electric Facility and Utility for 5 years throughout college.
231-947-8800 ext 143