Safety on the Job: Part I

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Safety on the JobPart I

• Everyones Concern

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Teens are injured at higher rates than adults.

• Every year 200,000 teens are injured on the job.
• 100,000 15- to 17- year-olds visit the emergency
  room for work related injuries.
• 70 teens are killed on the job each year.
• A teen is injured every 6 minutes on the job.
• Teens make up 20 of the workforce, but have 33
  of the workplace injuries.
• Only 1/3 of teen injuries are seen in the
  emergency rooms, therefore, it is likely that
  nearly 230,000 teens suffer work related injuries
  each year.

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Where are teens injured?
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4 Main Causes of Injuries

• Lack of Knowledge or Skills
• Environmental Hazards
• Poor Safety Attitudes
• Unsafe Behaviors

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Lack of Knowledge

• Workers who have not been trained to do his/her
  job accurately and safely are most likely to make
  mistakes and have accidents.
• Workers with less than one (1) years work
  experience account for one-third of all
  occupational accidents each year.
• How is this overcome?
• 1. Learn as much about a new job or task before
  beginning it. If you dont know, ask!

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Lack of Knowledge- Cont.

• 2. Watch someone perform the job, especially if
  machinery is involved. Then asked detailed
  questions.
• 3. Read labels and instructions before using
  chemicals or machines.
• 4. Go slowly at first.
• 5. Remember, what you dont know can be
  dangerous to you or other workers.

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Environmental Hazards

• Environmental hazards are possible dangers or
  unsafe conditions in the workplace.
• The very nature of the work environment can
  influence the number of accidents likely to occur
  on the job. (Construction sites, firework
  factories, logging, agriculture, etc.)
• People in these types of environments must be
  safety conscious- knowing the hazards and taking
  steps to avoid them

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Environmental Hazards- Cont.

• Common workplace hazards include
• - air quality
• - air temperatures
• - lighting
• - clear walkways
• - repetitive motion problems (ergonomics)
• - machines
• - chemicals/cleaning supplies

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Poor Safety Attitudes

• Basically this happens when workers become
  complacent in their work and try to take
  shortcuts when doing tasks.
• - Examples
• Deciding not to wear safety goggles because
  they are too hot and uncomfortable to wear,
  stacking items too high, disabling safety catches
  on tools, thinking that that safety policy is for
  the other guy not me, etc.

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Unsafe Behaviors

• Unsafe behaviors are a threat to everyones
  safety. Thinking and practicing safety is
  important.
• Recklessness- Not thinking before acting, rough
  housing, trying to take shortcuts, etc.
• Bad Temper- Losing control of ones temper can
  lead to accidents for oneself or ones co-workers
• Lack of Consideration- Not closing drawers or
  doors, not mopping up spills, leaving area messy,
  etc.

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Unsafe Behaviors- Cont.

• 4. Disobedience- Not following company policy,
  not following instructions of boss, etc.
• 5. Carelessness- Forgetting to post warning
  signs, not turning off equipment, rushing to get
  work done in order to leave, etc.
• 6. Laziness- Not turning off power when working
  on electrical equipment, trying to do a job with
  a tool not intended for it because the right tool
  is over there, throwing an item at a waste
  receptacle rather than walking over and putting
  it in, etc.

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Unsafe Behaviors- Cont.

• 7. Fatigue- Working two jobs with little sleep
  each night, staying up all night and coming to
  work, lack of a proper diet and exercise, not
  taking rest breaks and moving around, etc.
• 8. Impatience- Using a chair to reach an object
  out of reach instead of getting a step ladder,
  trying to force something through a machine to
  speed up the process, etc.
• 9. Emotional State- How one feels about him/
• herself influences their ability to do the
  job,

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Unsafe Behaviors- Cont.

• 9. Emotional State- Cont. Extreme emotions
  affect ones concentration and ability to reason
  and therefore, their job performance.
• 10. Use of Drugs/Alcohol- Substances affect a
  persons ability to to respond to stimuli, slows
  reflexes and affects decision-making abilities.

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Unsafe Acts

• At least 95 of all accidents are caused by
  unsafe acts or unsafe conditions. Most can be
  avoided by using common sense.
• Examples of Unsafe Acts include
• - Wiping or cleaning moving machinary
• - Failing to wear protective clothing
• - Smoking in non-smoking areas
• - Goofing off
• - Lifting too heavy a load by yourself
• - Removing or not using machine guards
• - Taking chances/dares

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Unsafe Conditions

• When possible you should correct unsafe
  conditions, even if you didnt cause them. You
  may not be able to correct them, you should then
  report it to the correct supervisor.
• Examples of Unsafe Conditions include
• - poor housekeeping - dim lighting
• - blocked fire exits - high stacks of boxes
• - oily rags in paper boxes - tools left around
• - dangerous overhead objects
• - overused electrical extension cords

Created by Loren E. Taber- CBI Coordinator,
KCCC/Clear Fork High School