Fall Prevention Stand-down

Slips, Trips, & Falls can be Prevented

May 6-10, 2019 is National Stand-down to Prevent Falls in construction week. Check out the numerous resources OSHA has posted for this event by clicking here.  CBJ is participating in this event by holding several short meetings throughout the week to talk about how we have and how we will prevent slips, trips, and falls (STFs).

In calendar year 2017, there were over 100,000 nonfatal injuries to local and state government employees nationally causing days lost from work due to slips, trips, and falls (InjuryFacts 2019, from BLS survey of occupational injuries and illnesses data). Every year it is one of the leading causes of injury on the job here at the City & Borough of Juneau.

In addition, fall protection is a perennial top 10 cited standard by OSHA. In fact, four of the top ten standards cited deal with slips/trips/falls: #1-Fall protection general requirements (1926.501), #3-Scaffolding (1926.451), #6-Ladders (1926.1053), and #9-Fall protection training (1926.503).  The CBJ was fined for a lack of adequate fall protection and fall protection training in 2018.

Walking/Working Surfaces Standard [29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1)]states: Keep all places of employment clean and orderly and in a sanitary condition. Do you and your staff know the many other requirements for fall protection?

Fall Prevention Tips  

Clean up after yourselves immediately

Secure electrical and phone cords out of traffic areas

Wear shoes with good support and slip resistant soles

Remove tripping hazards from stairs and walkways

Ensure adequate lighting both indoors and outdoors

Never stand on a chair, table, or other surface on wheels

Remove small throw rugs or use non-skid mats

Stay off freshly mopped floors

Arrange furniture to provide open walkways

April 29th, 2019|Tags: , , |

Emergency Prevention

About 29% of emergency room visits are injury related.  Choking and inhalation episodes accounted for over 65,000 trip in 2015.

So, what should you do to prevent trips to the emergency room? Whether you are enjoying recreational activities or at work, here are four suggestions to avoid potentially life-altering injuries:

  1. Stay hydrated and well rested. This will reduce the likelihood of overuse and overexertion injuries.
  2. Check, adjust and control equipment. Look at your equipment before you start to use it, adjust whatever needs to be adjusted, and make sure you can and will be in control of it.
  3. Don’t ignore or make excuses for continued work or play. You are your own worst enemy if you ignore what your body or mind is telling you. Don’t “tough it out” or “shrug it off.” If you think you might be hurt, then stop and treat it. Prevention is the best long-term solution to injury.
  4. Before you decide to visit the ER, don’t forget to call the 24-hr nurse hotline if your healthcare provider is Premera: 1-800-841-8343
February 5th, 2019|Tags: , |

A Brighter Future

This past year, due to a need to increase security of information, I was asked to turn on an automatic screen lock and set it to begin after 10 minutes of computer inactivity.  I was not a fan of this idea because I felt like it wasn’t necessary.  I felt proud of myself and how secure I kept my computer.  I reasoned in my mind that whenever I walk away from the office I lock my computer.  Well, after being asked and reminded politely a few times, I conceded to the rule and setup the screen lock.

Surprisingly, after I stopped fighting this change, it made things simpler and better for me.  Now I don’t have to worry about losing confidential information when I step away from my computer.   I know my computer will lock and any information showing on the screen will be protected from view.

This scenario applies to safety.  How many times do we fight change only to find out that by relinquishing our old ways we have improved our lives?  So, when I visit you try to remember that I’m trying to point out safer, better ways to do things.  A certain resistance to change is natural, but if we are striving to continually learn and improve, we’ll have to set aside our past for a brighter future.

June 14th, 2018|Tags: , , |

Effectiveness

A well known business management expert and author, Peter Drucker said, “Effective people find themselves asking other people in their organization, their superiors, their subordinates, but above all, their colleagues in other areas, ‘What contribution from me do you require to make your contribution to the organization? When do you need this, how do you need it, and in what form?’”

Effectiveness is defined as, “The capacity to persuade; the power to produce a desired result.”

Safety is defined as, “The control and elimination of recognized hazards to attain an acceptable level of risk.”

So, therefore, effective safety is: “The capacity to persuade coworkers, supervisors, and direct reports about the importance of safety and the power to produce a work environment where hazards are controlled or eliminated to an acceptable level.” Each employee ultimately will demonstrate whether or not we are effective and safe.  It is a shared responsibility to help each other perform safely and effectively.

When have you found that working safely is effective?

 

May 15th, 2018|Tags: , , |
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